Mission Accepted
by Tsuyoku
Summary: Relena gets a look into the future or lack there of. And when she does, she changes her views on what she wants in life... and who she wants as well... Not for Relena haters. 5xR
1. Mission Accepted 1

Disclaimer: This applies to this and all future chapters of this fic as well. I do not own Gundam Wing. I am using the characters for my personal use and nothing else.

Mission Accepted: Chapter One...

Relena had walked down the street for a little time to herself. She'd been in an office or a meeting full of people all day, and she just felt the need for a little peace and quiet. But that was until she found herself in front of Preventers' Headquarters. She remembered that she had been there every day for a while after it had been formed. She wanted to see Heero, make sure that he didn't run away from her again. But, that stopped after her brother, Zechs, told her not to go anymore, that she would just get in the way and soon become a burden and annoy them all. That was when she stopped.

Relena went through her mind counting the time. It had been a few months before she then came again. She went in and said hello to everyone that was there and found Heero. He looked her in the eyes as she walked over to him, giving her the emotionless stare that he usually had on his face. Nothing was readable. Relena then thought, 'Well, I haven't seen him in a while and I probably won't see him again for a while... I want to feel it again. To be in his arms once more...' She went up and put her hands around his neck and gave him a big hug, squeezing him to herself. Then Relena walked off, not looking back at him, just walking off missing the very rare, very surprised look on his face.

But that was a little while ago as well. Now she was standing in front of the headquarters wonder what she should do. Well, no sense in missing the chance to say hi again. Though it might be a little awkward seeing Heero, being at the headquarters around all of her friends and people she'd come to know over the years made her feel more at home than being anywhere else did.

So, Relena went into the building. Going past the secretary's desk, flashing a smile to the large woman there, she entered the room beyond through the glass doors. Past the security bars, there was a lounge type sitting area and then to her left there were a few elevators as well. She passed a mirror by a potted plant while walking toward the elevators and saw her reflection. Ok, so she didn't look the best, big deal. She took her hair down and got rid of all the bumps and stray hairs there and straightened her dark grey jacket and skirt. There, perfect. She looked decent.

Proceeding toward the elevator, a few people recognized her and waved. Naturally, she waved back at them and gave her best political smile. Then it was off to the elevators for an escape before she got caught up with something like talking to someone. On the third floor up was Zechs' office. She proceeded there first. There wasn't any music in the elevator, which was a good thing, most sounded like they belonged in a retirement home. Relena stuck her head out of the elevator, letting her body follow afterwards. That was quite strange, there was no one in the halls. She couldn't hear any phones ringing, and no one was scurrying about with piles of files and papers in their hands. It was empty. This was weird, no, it was freaky, even that didn't suit it. This atmosphere didn't suit Preventers' headquarters.

Relena walked down the hall, counting the doors, listening to her heels on the marble flooring echo in the emptiness that was the floor. Zechs' office was the last door at the end of the hallway. When she reached it, Relena knocked lightly and opened the door. No one was there either.

"Where is everyone?" Relena headed toward the elevator. It had gone up a few floors up so she had to press the button a few times again. When the doors opened, Relena was relieved to see that there was at least someone in the building, even if it was Wufei. She didn't know him very well, didn't know him much at all really. He didn't agree with her way of doing things very much and he hardly talked at all. That was about the extent of her knowledge of Wufei, just a quiet guy.

"Coming?" Wufei asked. She didn't realize that she'd been standing there staring at him. Regaining her sense of reality, she boarded the elevator. Not wanting that to be all she got out of him, Relena had to ask.

"Wufei, where is everyone today? I was just hoping to speak to my brother, but no one, including him is on that entire floor. May I ask why?"

"I'll take you. Downstairs in the mechanics basement, Noin and a team of researchers headed by Zechs have just completed a machine that is supposed to travel through time." Wufei looked at her, then he suddenly found the elevator doors very interesting.

"A time machine! How can that be?" Relena said to herself more than Wufei. "I never knew that they were working on something like that."

"That's because you haven't been here. Surprising not seeing you forever, then now you show up? Here to visit Heero again?" That last line was a bit too sarcastic to Relena's liking.

"No, I am not!" Relena took a defensive position. "Why are you so mean? You shove everyone away even when they want to be nice to you or even your friend! And what is with your attitude. It isn't very nice of you to say things like that. I guess you aren't very considerate of others are you?" The doors opened and Relena stomped out into the crowd that had formed.

'He makes me so mad! Wow! I guess you never know just how many people work here at headquarters until you shove them all into a big room. Or really it looks like a warehouse down here. I never knew that they had such space this far below the headquarters. Weird.' Relena fought through the crowd while thinking until she got to the front. In front of her stood Noin and Zechs facing this huge piece of machinery. 'Wow.'

"Relena! Long time no see!" Duo stepped off of the wall to her left and walked over to her. "Hey! Are you here to see the machine?" Duo yelled over the crowd while leading her over where they could talk.

"Well, I was here to just see how everyone was doing. I didn't even know that Zechs and Noin were working on such a thing. I never knew we had such technology. Does it work?"

"Well, for a politic you really are kept in the shadows. Especially for someone as close connected to the Preventers as you are. We still don't know if it works yet, but we are about to try it. I don't suppose you've noticed our crowd of spectators, have you?" Duo joked.

"Yes, Duo." Relena loved kidding with him. He was a great person to talk to. He and Quatre were easy to start a conversation with, unlike the other three pilots. "It took me a while to notice I was pushing through people... yeah."

"Well, some people notice these things and some don't. Have you seen Wufei?" Duo went from joke to half serious in seconds. Such mood swings only belong in great braided bakas.

"Yeah. I rode down with him in the elevator. He was the one that told me about the machine. Is it just me or is he crankier and annoyed more than usual?" Relena asked.

"Well, I think it's just being around all of these people. He doesn't like such crowds. All of the Gundam pilots have to be here for the first test, so I was scanning the place for him when I saw you. We have to find him and Une, then we can get this show on the road. Oh, wait there's Une now. I have to round up Wufei. The other pilots are over there with Noin and Zechs if you want to talk to them."

"Ok, thanks Duo!" Relena waved at him while he was walking toward the crowd. He gave her a wave and a smile before turning and heading off.

"Hello Relena." Noin said when she saw Relena walking over. "It's nice to see you again. You haven't been coming around lately. Been busy?"

"Yeah. I have been a little swamped and I haven't had much time to come over. And also I was afraid that I was annoying you since I kept coming over so much. But, I really came to say hello for a change and no one was up there. Then I met Wufei on his way here and he told me that you made this, in his own rude way of course." Relena explained.

"Yeah. It's just being around all of these people. You know that Wufei is a solitary man. He doesn't really enjoy being in a crowd very much." Noin said, turning back to glance at a meter on the machine.

"That's what Duo said as well. But, I'll get out of your way in just a second, I have to talk to a few people, so I'll just be leaving." Relena started to turn when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You weren't planning to leave without saying hello to us first, were you Miss Relena?" The sound of Quatre's voice made Relena smile. She turned and saw Trowa and Quatre standing there. Quatre held out his arms and gave Relena a big hug.

"No, I was going to say hi, then run. It's good to see you Quatre! And Trowa, very nice to see you as well." Relena held out her hand and they shook. As mentioned before, Quatre and Duo were the easier ones to talk to and hang around with in the group of Gundam pilots. Though the latter was a bit wacky.

"Well, you shouldn't leave yet. The test run is about to start. Being so involved in Preventers', you'd think that you would have heard of developing technology by now, but please. If you do not have plans later this afternoon, then you are welcome to stay and talk a bit." Quatre extended an open invitation to her.

"I would like that, Quatre. Thank you."

"Well, I am afraid that we have to observe a few pretest measures. Good bye Relena. I saw Heero over there a minute ago if you'd like to see him. Maybe he missed you when you weren't coming around..." Quatre took Trowa's hand and led him away.

'Yeah right. Heero wouldn't miss his own mother, much less someone who used to stalk him. Oh well, though I don't suppose that it could hurt.' Relena thought.

She walked around the machine, glancing at it as she admired the beauty. The sleek metal, the blue coloring, it was amazing how good technology could look. She then entered a small lounge room. Though it wasn't the prettiest of rooms, but it served its purpose; sheltering late workers and holding enough coffee to serve the Mosh pit outside.

She looked in and found Heero sitting there. He had his head down and one hand holding a Styrofoam cup that half held steaming coffee. She had never seen him like that before. He just looked so... well, unlike Heero. Relena gave a small knock on the door. Heero didn't even raise his head.

"Relena..." That was all he said. Relena crossed over and sat down across the table from him. Not surprised that he knew she was there, she didn't loaf around on the subject.

"Heero, it is nice to see you after this time. I just found out about the machine today. Wonder if it will work..." Heero stood up. He didn't exactly pace, but he didn't leave the room. Heero found a wall and leaned against it. Giving her his usual stare, Heero told her with his eyes that he wasn't really interested in talking.

Oh how Relena longed for the days in the past when Heero paid more attention to her. He hadn't come to her home in so long. Since before headquarters was made. Back then, Heero would seek comfort in Relena's bed. It was not unfamiliar to him to be with her. But when he stopped coming, Relena asked why. Heero hurt her by saying that he wanted nothing to do with her and then left. He left for a year, one whole year. And to Relena, a year without her precious Heero around was like torture. He hid himself well. No one knew where he was. Then all of the sudden, Heero showed up again. But Relena never forgot the man that had told her she was nothing to him, just something to relieve stress with. It hurt, but then when she saw him again, Relena forgave him in her own mind. She vowed to get him back. That would be a task, but hey, Heero was her life, or at least half of it.

"Heero?" Relena asked.

"Hn." Was his only reply, as usual.

"Do you still think of me as an object?" Relena said while crossing over to him and stood directly in front of him. "Do you see me as a person now? Do you love me like I thought you did?"

"Relena, I..." He had to think on what he would say. "I don't."

"Think of me as an object?" Nod. "Do you love me, Heero?" Relena took a step closer. It's not like this would faze her or make her blush, they'd been closer than this, and the feeling was a nostalgic one. She had felt it before, but it was old. It had died in her long ago.

Heero didn't answer her. He just stared at her, brows pressed together. 'Do I love you, Relena?' He thought. 'I have never felt love before.'

"How can I know if I love you if I don't even know what love is?" Heero asked her after a pause of silence. Relena looked down. It was too hard to look at his eyes. She couldn't show the tears that would inevitably come. She knew Heero thought she was strong, but what no one knew was that strength came from him. How could she be strong now with Heero telling her he didn't love her?

"I gave you love. I showed you what love was. I still love you, Heero." She almost jumped when his hand went to her chin and rose her head up. "Heero..." She tried to stop him, but Heero saw her tears and leaned towards her.

With his tongue, Heero licked the tears away as they fell fast. He licked them as if he was licking all of her pain away. Relena closed her eyes and relished in the feeling of his tongue on her cheek, his warm breath on her skin. Heero said nothing as he traveled down and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her give into him, respond to him.

Next thing Relena knew, her back met the wall and he was pressing her up against it, elbows on both sides of her head against the wall. One hand left its support and went to Relena's left breast. The feeling was wonderful. Heero had missed her, the ways she made him feel, her body, her mind, her beauty. All belonged to him once. Would it ever belong to him again? He didn't know. All he knew was that she loved him, and he felt as if he returned her love. How could he not?

The romantic couple was broken up when there was the sound of someone clearing their throat to get their attention. Both jumped, Heero pulling away from Relena, and Relena looking down to hide her blush. Wufei stood leaning against the door frame of the room and had a sour look on his face, as usual.

"You two better save it and get in here. We are starting the process." With that, Wufei walked out the door and towards the crowd.

Heero followed suit, leaving Relena to fix her clothing and go out to the gathering as well. She didn't bother saying anything to Heero, knowing it wouldn't do anything but break the mood and the small amount of love that hung in the air between them.

"Noin, are we all set?" Zechs asked his co-worker. "All bars are green on the monitor here. What about the dials?"

"All set here Zechs. Everything's in green, no danger zones showing now. Time to go." After a long while of trying to convince Zechs to let her be the test subject, Noin finally triumphed and got her way.

Heading towards the doors, Noin signaled for everything to begin. She pressed a button to open the doors and then once again to close them once she was carefully seated inside. This was the moment of truth, would it work? Who knew what would happen to Noin if it didn't, though no one wanted to think about the consequences.

It started up. Lights were turning on in the meters and buttons on the board operated by Zechs. The noise began and continued to rise until it was almost unbearable. You couldn't even hear yourself talk. But, everything seemed to be going pretty well for a while. That was until Relena noticed Zechs running towards the doors. He tried pressing the button, but it didn't work. The doors wouldn't open. Finally, the crowd watched the drama as Zechs opened the doors with his hands, struggling all of the way. When they opened, he found an unconscious Noin sitting there.

Relena sat in the Preventers' Headquarters hospital. It was on the fifth floor and was very convenient for any injuries that occurred during the job. She was holding Noin's hand when she woke up.

"Where am I?" Were the first words out of Noin's mouth, a little slurred from her sleep.

"You're in the hospital wing right now." Relena told Noin. "After the test try, you passed out and they had to stop the run. So, how are feeling? Any better?"

"A little. I don't really remember passing out, but I feel fine now. The time machine didn't work did it?" Noin frowned when Relena shook her head.

Tsuyoku: Hope it's ok so far. It'll get better. Keep reading... R&R too :)


	2. Mission Accepted 2

Tsuyoku: THX for coming back, enjoi!

Mission Accepted: Chapter Two...

'So, the time machine didn't work. But I think that they said that a few wires were screwed up. I wonder if they will let Noin try it again. Maybe they'll have someone else do it for her safety. I'm sure that Zechs was pretty worried when that happened. For the longest time he was the one waiting outside her door to know if she was alright. He cares for her deeply. I wish I had someone like that. Heero might, but he is just so cold to me sometimes, and he's very quiet...'

Relena found herself walking down he hall from the hospital. She was near the elevator. A thought popped into her head. ' guess it wouldn't hurt if I took another look down there...' She headed down the elevator shaft to the huge underground room that held most of the repairs and mechanical workings.

There it was. She saw it as soon as the doors opened, sitting there in all it's glory and beauty. Taking her steps forwards, Relena noticed the tap her heels made on the floor. Unlike the visit to that room earlier, and yet so like the hallway she was in when she first arrived. Lonely.

Relena ran her hands over the keys. The dials and meters were blank now, but when Noin was in there they were all red. 'Power...?' She pushed the button, surprised that such a large machine could be so simple to turn on in the push of a button. It made a few noises. Very loud noises. Would the people upstairs hear her?

After a while, Relena had looked around enough to get the jist of the buttons on there. Without a manual, this thing was pretty hard to figure. She opened the doors. Relena had no idea why she was doing this.

Wait, she did.

She didn't know where she was going in life. The only future she saw for herself was an office with stress and politics surrounding it. What was in her future that she did not know about?

'Six years should be enough time for me to have developed some kind of life...' Relena got in and hoped to god that she'd be ok and that no one would find out.

Relena ended up in a hallway of Preventers' Headquarters. It wasn't empty though. Everyone was buzzing around, being naturally busy. It was normal though, which was a good sign, right?. She walked through the hall and no one even looked at her. She didn't feel like talking to them anyway, she wanted to know what had happened.

"Yuy!" Relena turned at the name. Someone was shouting for Heero. She looked down a hall to her right, but instead of coming right out, she stayed behind the corner to observe. Besides, if she was seen here, and her future self was somewhere else, then it wouldn't be good at all. "You were told to file these! Don't put them on my desk to do it! I've got enough shit to do already!" It was Wufei. Though he still wore the Preventers' jacket, he had changed. His hair was kept neatly back in a pony tail like it used to, though it was now reaching down past his shoulder blades. He held a few file folders in his hand, no doubt the files he was talking about at the moment.

"Wufei, you know how to do these things. I haven't been behind a desk as long as you have, so I don't know my way around filing." Oh, that one had to hurt, Relena thought. Heero hadn't changed a bit, though Relena noted that he had gotten taller. He still spoke in that calm demeanor that he was famous for, and he still dressed in a t-shirt and jeans with his jacket slung over his shoulder. "Besides, I have other work to do. I have a family to feed, you have no one, so go do work to fill the void in your life."

'Wow, Heero has gotten a bit crueler. But, did he say 'family'?' Relena stood and watched Heero walk towards the back elevator. Wufei didn't say anything to Heero. Usually he would have something to defend his honor with, but this time he just stared after 01's pilot and then turned and left.

Relena didn't think much about Wufei and the sad look he had in his eyes when he turned, she was more concerned about Heero and his 'family'. Did he have someone other than her?

Relena found herself following Heero as he left headquarters. This Heero was just like in the real world. He didn't talk, he just stared straight forward and kept walking. Relena remembered noticing little changes with the people and the building as she observed her surroundings. Zechs hadn't changed at all. He looked that same as he did in her time. Noin, she noticed, had a ring on her finger, from Zechs she guessed. Sally was now in a high position in the company as was Une. Duo was still a goof ball like in the old days, Quatre and Trowa were a little more open about each other she noted as she passed them. She didn't see anyone else though. Relena finally noticed how dark it was outside.

'Wow', she thought. I wonder what has happened to this place in the past ten years. And Heero was talking about family. Could I have married him and had kids? That would be expected...'

But as Relena looked into a window belonging to the house he just stepped into, Relena was shocked and surprised. There, where she should have been, was Dorothy. Seems like Dorothy got what she wanted. Relena knew that Dorothy had been obsessed with Heero forever. Even when the war was raging, it was Dorothy's goal to see him, meet him. She even had his picture, something that, at that time, Relena didn't even have of Heero.

And there next to Dorothy was a child. Mad that Heero had left her for Dorothy and even had a kid with her, Relena got even madder at the fact that even when Dorothy smiled at him, Heero paid no heed to either of them...

'I've had enough.' Relena said to herself. She was sad and pissed. Both enough to forget about finding herself in this world. Just that she wasn't with Heero was bad enough.

She reached headquarters once more. A little while had passed and most had gone home, but there were some people who stayed late. It reminded her of her work where she liked to stay late and get things done. It gave her something to do.

She got to thinking, 'I wonder how I get back to my own time. I guess I could use the time machine. It's got to be here, since I stepped out of it when I arrived.' She headed back down to the basement and was walking towards the machine. 'Wait, someone is here!' She saw a light on in the basement. Walking towards it, Relena noticed that it was Wufei that was down there.

'I wonder what he could still be doing here at this time of night?' Relena entered the small room, recognizing it as the small room Heero and herself were in that very day.

Relena noticed Wufei sitting there, going over paperwork. By the looks of it, he was in deep thought, but he still had that sadness in his eyes. Like something was missing from his life. Wanting to know what it was, Relena stepped into the room. Crossing over to the coffee machine getting herself a cup of coffee like Wufei had obviously done.

"Who are you?" Wufei had been thrust from his thoughts when someone walked into the basement break room, which no one used because they were never down there. He was surprised that someone even remembered that there was a break room down in the basement. That was the only reason why he used it; because no one else did.

To say the least, Relena was surprised that Wufei didn't know who she was. But she did have her back turned to him. "Hey Wufei, it's only me." She said while turning around.

Relena noticed how Wufei's eyes got wider considerably when she turned around to face him. "What? Is there something on my face?" She asked. Still, he stared in shock at her, as if she was a ghost or grew two heads, or if she had just murdered someone and had their blood all over her clothes.

"Relena? Is... is that you?" Wufei got up and walked around the table to Relena. Standing in front of her, he looked her over and over. Relena was a little less than comfortable with him looking at her like that, but she was still wondering why seeing her provoked such a reaction from Stone Cold Wufei. "It IS you!"

"Um, excuse me, but what is the big surprise?" Relena asked, once again questioning Wufei's sanity.

"Relena, don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"You've been missing for six years..." Wufei said, eyebrows still in a knot.

Tsuyoku: DUM DUM DUM... Well read on... go on, you know you want to... R&R


	3. Mission Accepted 3

Mission Accepted: Chapter Three...

"I've been missing for six years?" Relena said. "But that's not possible! I... I've been. I don't know..." Relena lost her balance, thankfully the coffee she had poured was still sitting on the counter verses in her hands. Wufei caught her and picked her up. He walked across the room and sat her on a small couch that she hadn't even noticed until now.

"It's ok, you'll be fine, just calm down." Wufei said. "Deep breaths. Alright. Do you remember March 18 A.C. 201?"

"Yes, that's today." Relena said, looking strangely at Wufei.

"No Relena, today is March 18 A.C. 207. You've been gone for six years."

"No, no, no. I-I" Relena stopped as she figured out her situation. "It's the machine."

"What, Relena, you must still be phased."

"No! The time machine. A.C. 201, Preventers had developed a time machine, but when they tested it on Noin, it didn't work and she got hurt. But after she did, I went back down to the basement and ended up trying it out. It worked, but I guess me coming here basically deletes myself for those six years I traveled here." Relena sighed.

"You what? You tried the time machine? You know you could have gotten hurt, or killed? But look at what happened! You disappeared for six years, Relena! Do you know how that has effected all of us?" Relena knew the public and even the Preventers must have been stunned. Not to mention, the government was probably on the Preventers backs to try and find her, so it must have been hard.

"I guess so. How long did it take you to figure out that I was gone and file me away?" Relena asked, wondering if Wufei got to do the honors of doing he paperwork himself what with sitting behind that desk and all.

"We didn't. Preventers don't give up on their cases, especially you." Seeing her confused look, he gestured to the papers he'd been looking over when she'd come in. "You see those papers? They are the reports from your case. What your apartment, office, car looked like when you went missing. Where you were last seen. Who you spoke to. Everything. The Preventers don't give up. And they told me that when I found you I could get a field job again. Here you are."

"Wufei, I've got to go back to A.C. 201. Then you will have had the opportunity to get a field job and not have it resting all on me. So, if I go back, then things will be better, I will never have disappeared." Relena said. Getting up off the couch, she walked towards the door. "Aren't you going to help me, Wufei?" Relena said when she turned around.

They left the room and saw the machine sitting in all it's majesty. "Did you guys ever think about going back in time to follow me around and see where I went that day? It would have been easier." Relena smirked back at Wufei when he rolled his eyes and gave this expression that said 'why didn't I think of that before?'.

She got into the machine, taking a seat, and had Wufei do a lot of the twists and turns that she never figured out how she managed to do. While she watched him, a thought went through her head. "Wufei, you've changed." Seeing his expression and the fact that he wasn't prepared for that, she said, "Well, you've been nice to me. I just like it that you aren't being cold like I remember you."

"Well, I just didn't know how to act back then." He sighed, messing with a few wires. Obviously the thing hadn't been used probably since she had gone missing. "I just wasn't used to not fighting. I just hated that I was stuck in a building behind a desk all day while everyone else got to fight. It was in my nature, I couldn't be kept dormant for so long you know. What my one wish was back then was to have been able to make friends and meet people, like you, Relena. I'm sure we could have been friends, if I'd only tried. You know how cold I was to everyone back then." Wufei was opening up to her, that was so sweet.

He finished. "Alright, you're all set to go. Now, you better go back and not get into this thing again. You sure did give us a living hell for a life for a while. And even when things did calm down, nobody has been the same since you left..." A series of noises announced that the machine was working its magic. As the doors were closing, Relena saw the same sad, lonely look in his eyes that she'd often seen in her present times.

The doors closed and Relena once again felt the odd sensations that she had experienced before. As things quieted down, she opened the doors only to come face to face with who she'd been talking to before. At first, she was thought that it hadn't worked, but then when Wufei asked her what she was doing, she knew that she was back where she needed to be.

"Sorry, tired it out. Turns out, the thing works." Relena said when she walked past Wufei.

"It works? You mean you actually went somewhere?" Wufei asked.

"Yes, I did. I went six years into the future. And I had a good talk with you. Now I have learned a few things about you." Relena said as she walked towards the elevator. Seeing his 'like what?' expression on his face, she explained.

"Wufei, I know that you are only cold to people because you aren't a people person. And the fact that you always seen to be in a bad mood is because you don't know how to act. You also are not happy with being cooped up in a desk room all day when the only thing you know how to do is fight. And even though you are around people that you know, you still are jealous of them because they get field jobs and you don't."

"And," She continued. "You said to me that you wish you could meet people and make friends like everyone else does. I know you want to make friends, Wufei. It's not that hard..."

Relena had really startled Wufei. She read him like he was an open book. He felt exactly as she described him. And even though he did feel that way, he didn't want to always feel like that.

Seeing that she was exactly right, Relena walked towards the elevator and made her way up to the first floor to go home.

"What was it like?" Wufei really startled Relena when he grabbed the elevator doors before they closed and then walked in. Not to mention that fact that he was starting conversation with her. "I mean, what was it like, seeing everything in the future? Where were you?"

"Not much was different... Headquarters looked the same, save a few people and what they did or looked like." Relena told Wufei about her experience in the future and how she was missing. When they reached the first floor and were walking towards the lobby, both still into a conversation, Heero walked out of the adjacent elevator and stared at them talking together.

"Oh, Yuy." Wufei said flatly. He wasn't so sure that he liked the interruption in his conversation.

"Hello, Heero." Relena said, not exactly expecting an answer and unsurprised when she didn't get one. "Well, I must be going." And in a daring move, Relena turned around and said to Wufei, "Will you walk me out?"

Heero was surprised, or really past that because usually Relena would ditch anyone that she was talking to and come after him, and he was actually hoping to get a chance to walk her home and talk to her. (A/N: Yeah right, Heero? talk?)

And if Heero was surprised, then Wufei was already chopped liver...

He wasn't really sure why Relena didn't go with Heero and ditch him. Not that he'd care or anything. Come on, it was the reaction that everyone would have because ever since she met him years ago, Relena was completely obsessed with Heero and the peace, or lack there of.

"So, Wufei. What are you working on now?" Relena asked as if nothing unusual had occurred in the building.

"Nothing. I recently applied for a transfer to a field job. I hope that they give me one. As you've suddenly become an expert on me, I guess you could understand my need for action and space." Wufei opened the door for Relena and they walked out.

As it turns out, Wufei had walked Relena home as they were tied up in some kind of conversation on her upcoming conference throughout the continents.

"Thank you for walking me home, Wufei. If only just because we were caught up in conversation." Relena extended her hand.

After a curt shake and a nod on their parts, Wufei bid goodnight to her and walked along home, which happened to be in the opposite direction past Headquarters. But walking home now, he felt a strange bond with Relena, somehow.

So, while Wufei was questioning himself on why he went out of his way for this girl, Relena had a few things wandering around in her mind too.

'I'll get you a field job, Wufei...'

A few days later, March 21, Wufei was called into Sally Po's office for a meeting.

"You called, Sally?" Wufei entered her office early that morning.

"Go ahead and shut the doors, Wufei." Sally said.

Recalling a phone conversation between her and Relena the afternoon before, Sally sat at her desk, Wufei across from her, and cleared her throat.

Tsuyoku: R&R... read on, plz...?


	4. Mission Accepted 4

Mission Accepted: Chapter Four

"After talking to someone who has requested another guard, I have finally considered your petition for a field job." She folded her hands over her desk. "Ok, I have to confess; you were actually requested by your employer, so you'd better do well on this one, Chang." Sally was the only one that called him by his last name. After their attempt at a relationship a while ago, she'd called him Chang. And even though it didn't really work out between them, out of habit she still identified him as such.

"I was requested?" Wufei said to himself more than asking a question. "By whom, may I ask?"

"Miss Relena." Sally said. "She had another officer assigned to her. However, yesterday afternoon she phoned me and requested you instead saying that she trusted a gundam pilot."

"Why me? Did she say?"

"She said that she noticed you hadn't had a field job for a while." She cleared her throat again, something she had a habit of when she was changing subjects or trying to get one's attention. "As you may already know, Relena is participating in the upcoming Peace Council in two weeks. It stretches over a series of visits to large countries starting with one meeting in Tokyo, then on to Russia, throughout Europe, then to the Americas as well. This is scheduled to extend a month to two months depending on how long each conference takes."

All Wufei could do was nod.

"So, do you wish to accept this mission?" Sally asked him.

"Mission Accepted."

Relena walked through the door to Noin's office. She knocked on the door frame. Noin shot up from her desk and saluted Relena. This made them both laugh.

"Please don't tell me that you were sleeping..." Relena questioned Noin.

"I was no... Ok, yeah I was. I'm just still tired from this week's events." Noin sat down in her chair motioning for Relena to do the same in the comfy looking leather in front of the desk. Relena complied, then remembered why she was there.

"Here, I brought you some flowers. I picked them from the garden out my window." Giving then to Noin, Relena watched as she thanked her and put them in a vase next to another that held flowers as well. "I see that Zechs has already given you a lavish bouquet." Seeing this ignite a blush in her friend's cheeks, her assumption was confirmed. Though Relena felt a little shallow seeing as how her bouquet (if you could call it that), paled in comparison to her brother's choice of exotic flowers.

A few minutes of conversation was allowed before Zechs himself showed and had to 'steal' Noin away. So, Relena was once again walking the lonely hall. Seeing people in offices and hearing the faint rings of phones were reassuring that this was not a repeat of a few days ago. And, to make the moment even more nostalgic, who better to greet her in the elevator on the way down than Wufei.

"Hello Relena. Seeing you here twice in one week, that's a change." Wufei added a little humorous tone to his mocking sentence.

"I assume that Sally told you." Wufei nodded.

The elevator door opened on the ground floor and they both stepped out through the glass doors. Relena said goodbye to the secretaries on their way out while she and Wufei exited through another set of glass doors into the morning sun. As Relena turned to walk away, Wufei caught her with his voice.

"Why?" Relena turned.

"You said you wanted a field job. And I wanted a friend on the trip." She smiled her genuine smile, so much more beautiful than the political ones she wore most of the time. Then she walked off in the direction of her Japan office.

(A/N: I am setting this part in Japan with the P. Headquarters as well. Her Japan office is like an office for her when she's in Japan duh! and away from her Sanq Kingdom offices.)

The two weeks until the beginning of the conference were spent mostly at her office or sometimes she'd be so lucky as to return to her apartment to sleep, but not likely. Each speech that she prepared for each country had to be well written, forceful, affective, and above all, it had to be different. The worst thing to sit and listen to was a redundant politician. Pouring her sweat and, sometimes, blood into her speeches, Relena stayed in her office and didn't visit the Preventers' Headquarters till the day before her first Conference with the state leaders in Tokyo.

She was walking into Preventers' for all different reasons than she would have visited for a year or two ago, Relena thought as she walked through the familiar glass doors.

"Hello," She said to the secretary at the front lobby. "I'm looking for Chang Wufei. Could you please tell me where his office is?"

"Yes Miss Relena, through the security then up the elevators to the fifth floor. It's the door right across from the elevators."

"Thank you."

The elevator doors opened to reveal the fifth floor hallway. She hadn't really been up here all that much in the few years Headquarters had been around. Heero hung around the second and third floors when he was there, so by careful deduction, you could figure she'd spent most of her time there. Many times Relena would regret her actions. She really had stalked Heero. And she hated herself for it. That was the reason why everyone always associated her actions with something that Heero did or said.

She was sick of that...

"Relena?" Wufei had just been leaving his office when he saw her just standing outside the elevator, looking down at the floor with some angry, confused expression on her usually soft face.

"Oh!" She jumped. "I'm sorry. I was just reflecting on a few things..." She trailed off. "Well, are you ready to go?" Relena tried to sound perky and lighten her spirits a bit.

"Yes, just let me lock up. No matter that I'm on a field job, I still have tons of rough copy paperwork in there." He finished and picked up his duffel bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

'It never ceases to amaze me how these Gundam pilots never have anything more than a duffel for luggage. We are going to be gone for a few months! How can you bring something that small...!' While Relena finished her debate in her head, they walked out to her car, which would take them to the hotel.

"As soon as you arrive at the hotel, prep for security. There are no measures that we won't take on this conference." The cracking voice of Zechs said over the phone.

"Yes, sir." Wufei mumbled a few other words into the cell phone before flipping it shut and staring out the tinted window of the car.

'Zechs is always so protective of Relena, but that's expected; she is his baby sister and only family.' Wufei thought.

Relena looked over after he'd shut the cell phone and wondered what Wufei was thinking about. 'Probably how good it is to be on a field job or something. I wish I could just escape from my desk job like he did...'

Two hours passed before they reached the center of Tokyo; far from the Headquarters on the outskirts of the capital.

The very luxurious Hotel Centre loomed over them as they exited the car. It was ornate and perfect for all the high and mighty politicians that requested to be waited on hand and foot. But even though Wufei was thinking it, he knew that not all politicians were like that. The first and foremost being beside him at the moment.

"I'll get your bags, Miss Relena." The driver said. He assisted Wufei in taking the bags up to her room on the fourth floor.

"Thank you very much, sir." Relena tipped her driver and entered into the room. It was much like all the other hotel rooms she'd been in during her lifetime; nothing really out of the ordinary.

"Relena, I'm the room conjoined to yours if you'll be needing anything."

"Thank you, Wufei. I'll be fine for now." He left the room.

Wufei was covering the grounds, looking at any possible entrances other than the elevators or the windows. He only found the laundry shoot which existed for the maids and extended down to the basement, a good five floors. Unless someone was really into getting to the fourth floor unknown, and they had a few major suction cups with them, no one was getting through there. Wufei felt confident that the area was secure and he made note that all the windows were locked and secured.

Tsuyoku: lol, keep going...R&R...


	5. Mission Accepted 5

Mission Accepted: Chapter Five

April Fourth, A.C. 201

Dear Diary,

We had arrived today at Hotel Centre. Not much to look at, but it's cozy. I can't say that I'm nervous about the first Conference tomorrow. I've been through so many like this, it just doesn't pick at my brain like it used to. I mean, becoming 'Queen Relena'. You remember, I was a little shaken up. But then after I thought about it, this gave me enough power to effect people. Did you know that I still have people come up to me and call me 'Queen Relena'? Yes, though I don't consider myself in that position anymore.

You know, I am glad that I'm on this Council. Going through so many countries and meeting so many people there to hear your ideas is what will bring us to... peace. And having Wufei here, well, it just feels right. Now he can finally become the person he wants to be.

Goodnight Dear Diary, I must retire.

Relena

April Seventh, A.C. 201

Dear Diary,

The speech went well at the conference on the fifth. Our plan is to leave tomorrow and then board a plane to Moscow. Six hours on a plane! I don't know what's going to keep me occupied... Russia is cold most of the time, at least that's what I hear, so I won't be spending very much time outside the Embassy and the conference center.

On another note, I've been talking to Wufei lately, and he is really opening up to me. I truly believe that he is a great person. Tonight I was sitting in the sitting room connecting our two rooms and was reading while he did karate, or was it yoga... well, he was training. It was interesting to look up and watch sometimes. Afterwards, he sat with me and somehow we got on the subject of Meiran.

He told me about her and how they were husband and wife. Then how she gave her life to protect the colony. I can understand the deep sadness that sometimes invades dark eyes sometimes. What good has he really encountered in his life?

Relena.

April Thirteenth, A.C. 201

Dear Diary,

The meeting in Russia went according to plan. Though some of the leaders there thought they could intimidate me because I am a woman. They understood the need for peace, but they also wanted to have weapons to use in case. I noted there really was no need for them.

I know that there shouldn't be a need for weapons in the future, but here I am representing a country that has hidden away the most valuable, most affective, most dangerous weapons in space, the Gundams.

The conference today in London went well. It is so much nicer here than in Russia! Wufei, I have noticed, is always there. I can never escape from him. But that's his job. And you know, I don't think that I would ever really have the urge to try and escape from Wufei, or any of the security for that matter.

Coming up for the next eight days, I have some free time finally. I hope to explore London a bit. Maybe I'll take Wufei out somewhere.

Relena.

April Eighteenth, A.C. 201.

Dear Diary,

I'm going to take Wufei out somewhere today. Wish me luck!

Maybe I can get him out of that Preventers' jacket and into some real clothes.

Relena.

Tsuyoku: A short Reflection in Relena's Diary about the conferences... just a dead chappy, but there's more to come!


	6. Mission Accepted 6

Tsuyoku: Orville Redenbacher scares me.

Mission Accepted: Chapter Six

It was about two in the afternoon when Relena suddenly opened the door to Wufei's room, never minding that he was half naked, and bounced herself right onto his bed. "May I help you, He asked, lifting an eyebrow. In time, he'd gotten a bit used to Relena's child-like actions when around him. Sure, there was the facade that she put on when she faced the more powerful people in the federation, but in person, and alone with the most intimate of friends, there was just a personality there which had never seen daylight. And in a sense, he was glad that he could finally experience what it was like to have a true friend.

"Wufei, I don't care what you are doing or what you say, I'm going out today for the whole day and you are coming with me." Before she could finish, Wufei gave her this 'duh' look, which she kindly noted as one of his more amusing looks. "Silly, you're not going as my Preventer; you're going as my friend, my companion, my date for a day of fun that you'll never forget."

He left one of his eyebrows lifted as he finally put his shirt completely on. It seemed that once Relena forgot how to knock in his case, she had gotten used to walking in on him dressing and on occasion took time to take him in before announcing herself, not that Wufei noticed this or anything. She'd become quite accustom to the curves of his chest and muscles, which still aroused a few things in her mind that she'd never thought about since her long lost days with Heero.

"And where do you suppose you we are going for this so called day of fun?" Wufei asked, sitting on the bed next to her to tie his shoes.

"That's the point, there's no real plan, there's just you, me, and our feet. They can take us wherever we want. If we see a cafe we like, we'll go. If there's some store or nice park, we'll travel there. The sky's the limit and even then, there are rockets ready to boost all those imaginative people off to someplace happier.

Wufei gave her another look, this time one saying that they weren't leaving the planet anytime soon. "Fine." was his only response.

She laughed, but stopped him the moment he dared attempt to put on his Preventer's jacket. "No, today, we are civilians, not Preventers."

"Civilians, but armed civilians."

"Fine." was her only response. She may be a pacifist, but no one could argue with Wufei on the subject of carrying a concealed weapon. She'd found that out the hard way.

As soon as they exited the hotel, Wufei took in the London surroundings. The sun was shinning very brightly; brighter than anywhere else on their journeys so far. All except for Japan, the land of the forever rising sun. He looked over at Relena, who was admiring the lack of traffic as they'd managed to find a hotel that was just on the outskirts of the very urban city and more into a quieter change. Relena was always more interesting when she was out of the business suits. He began to wonder if maybe they were the mask that she wore instead of an another actual face. In her yellow dress, she did look marvelous. Enough to be a civilian without a care in the world, just out on a walk with a man that was not a Preventer or a man that killed other people like himself. She was going out with a man that was, for the day at least, just a guy. Just a civilian.

Make that an armed civilian.

She tugged on his arm. Soon, they walked and walked; sometimes they spoke, others it was just a comfortable silence that they'd found in each other's company. She would look into the sky as they more approached the city, and he would unwillingly look in her direction. Relena seemed to be more and more interesting to him day by day. Maybe it wasn't the fact that she pulled him out of a grave that he was doomed to for all eternity, maybe it wasn't all about that. But there was something that he had with Relena, something he had about Relena that no other man, no other person had ever had or seen, or even touched. And he was proud of that.

But then again, maybe he was obsessed.

It didn't matter anymore. Soon enough, they were both hungry and walked into the first small, quiet store that they found and sat, for once unrecognized, and ate their lunch with some quiet conversation.

"Do you want to go to a park or something?" her question had broken the silence as they slipped from the dark restaurant and into the still shining sun. Wufei sounded that it wouldn't matter to him. He knew that he as well as Relena wanted to actually enjoy the freedom and the surroundings for the small chance. What place could be better.

Wufei ended up doing some more yoga, or was it karate? while Relena sat on a bench in front of the playground reading a book that had snuck its way into her small bag. The book wasn't as interesting to Relena as the man to the left of her was, at least, that's what she got out of the experience. But after a glance or two at the book, and a glance or two at Wufei, Relena stared for minutes on end at the children that decorated the swing sets and equipment. She kept thinking to herself, 'Will I ever be the mom pushing that little girl on the swing. Will I ever finally get the guts to get out and meet the right man. I don't know how I could. In all my years, I don't think I ever thought about the leniency that this job would allow me socially. I have to schedule times to sleep and to eat on a normal basis, there is no way I could ever really meet someone under these conditions and have a real family of my own.', she sighed. 'Then again, my father did it. He met my mother on the job, and even though he isn't my real father, there was always plenty of time for me in his everyday life.'

She sighed again and laid her book in her lap just staring into nothing for the time being. This was life... Was this what other people got to experience? Sure, they had to work, but there was also free time for their lives and families. She looked again at the mother and daughter at the swings, now laughing about something everyday, something normal. It wasn't fair.

She sighed.

"If you sigh one more time," Wufei sat next to her on the bench. "we're going home. I can't concentrate when I keep hearing distracting noises. You bored or something?" She shook her head in response.

"Not really. Actually I'm having fun. Just thinking..."

"Oh boy, call the newspapers." There was that look from her again. He knew that look well. "I'm kidding. Thinking is good for the soul. Unless you are thinking about work or something like that; in that case, it's not okay. Were you thinking about some work you have to do or how much you miss being at the office?"

She smiled, still looking towards the playground. "Quite the opposite actually. I was just thinking that it's not fair for us to have the lives that we do, and yet we still go about our daily lives taking what's coming to us." There was a pause. "I want this."

"Want what?"

She moved her hands signaling the surroundings around her. "All this. I want the normality of the whole situation. It's just so..." she really couldn't find the right word.

"Normal?" He chuckled. "That's no way to live life. You have a stressful job, sure, but at least it's not normal. It's sometimes in a blue moon kind of exciting. At least mine used to be. Sometimes I have to admit that I think the way that you are thinking now. But then I remind myself that I'd rather be doing something semi-out-of-the-ordinary instead of having something like this. I'm not that type of guy, Relena. And in a way, I don't really think that you are that type of woman. Relena."

Relena rose from her seat, taking her bag and her book with her. Wufei rose and strode to catch up with her. After they did finally come to an even walk, they'd made it to the hotel again and were walking up the stairs. Wufei found it odd that Relena was so quiet after having wanted to talk so much before. "Relena talk or something. It's not the same without your chatter filling my ears." Wufei meant it as a joke. But he didn't hear the giggle that usually followed these rare occasions.

Relena sniffed.

Wufei looked up and towards her face. It was streaming with tears. He hadn't even noticed that she was crying and now it seems that he may have made it worse. Wufei was far from a sentimental guy. In fact, there were few occasions that he hadn't met a girl that he'd eventually made cry. And in Relena's case, he'd brought her to tears a few times on their trip when certain arguments arose. But now, there seemed to be no reason for her to be crying. He hadn't said anything to make this happen. Heck, Wufei hadn't said much since he caught up to her leaving the park.

"Now what is the matter!" Wufei grabbed her arm when she tried to keep walking up the stairs. For a moment he felt indifferent to the world, grabbing her arm and backing her into the wall of the stairwell. "Tell me." He calmed down for a second.

"How can you be so casual about life? We were both affected by the war. I became the Vice Foreign Minister; you became a Preventer. Both thrust into lives with so much responsibility at such a young age. Wufei, don't you ever wonder what it would be like if you hadn't been a Gundam pilot? Don't you ever wonder what would have become of you, Wufei, if the war had not actually taken place?"

"Meiran." was his only response. He let go of her arm and stood there for a second. Relena regretted the sudden loss of warmth on her arm where his hand had been.

"Meiran?"

He trudged up the stairs and finally reached their room where Relena caught up to him as he searched for the key. If she had taken a bit to think, Relena might've perceived that he didn't want to talk about the subject but she was very curious. It had always occurred to her that she didn't know a lot about Wufei. "Just leave me alone about it." He said as he stepped into his own bedroom, just across the main room from her own.

"No. I will not leave you alone. You made me tell you what was wrong with me," she walked in the room and stared at his face sternly, "now's the time to return the favor. What happened with Meiran was not your fault, Wufei. It did force you into the war, but you are certainly not to blame for any of it. From what you've told me, I assume that she went out of her own free will. If I, or you for that matter, was to do something with all my heart, you know that no one could talk us out of it. We are kindred spirits; both of us are left with our work to keep us busy at nights. And during the day it seems that there's just something missing. I know that you feel it too, Wufei."

_Dear Diary,_

_We had an interesting day. For the most part it was fun, but there were times that I doubted who I was or really what I was doing. You know, in the midst of this vision, this mission for peace, I have lost myself. And if I totally lose myself, or my faith even, then there may not be a chance for the other people to see it themselves as well. I have made a new resolution. I will no longer allow work to prohibit the boundaries of my life. I want to do things that other politicians don't do. I want to be able to live my own life while trying to abide by another. And I know you think it silly of me, but you should know as well as anyone, dear diary, that I am not the same person on the outside as in. I have shown Wufei that too. Wufei; just thinking about how much he's changed over this month that we've started to interact. _

_The time machine was a wake up call for me. A wake up call that there are other people that could use some friends, as well as myself for that matter. Then this whole conference ordeal, I can't say it's much fun, but the faces I see, the different people that come just to hear me speak; it's very altering to any conscience. _

_For the rest of the night, I plan to spend it reading a book. Here, the beds in this small hotel on the edge of London are very comfy and seem homely. So, for now, I remain faithfully yours._

_Relena._

It was funny how she felt as though she were writing a letter to someone very close when she wrote in her journal. Relena wanted to keep tract of the important things that went on in her life, especially of these that were about her job.

Relena had never really been afraid of anything in her life. Yes, there were times, mainly when Heero was around, that she feared for her life, but considering things that scare people, like worms and bugs, she was indifferent to most of them. Thunderstorms were her weakness. Now you might think it very cliché and childlike that she was weary of them, but it was a weakness that she'd never grown out of. When she was younger, her mother would make her some hot chocolate and then they would crawl into her mother and father's big bed while they read together or just went to sleep. For some reason, having her family there, she was content that nothing could get to her.

Most people have that feeling in their lives. There are people that comfort you, people that seem emanant of some repose to their personality that gives you the feeling of wanting to be around them. And as Relena was writhing in her bed, not confident that she was getting to sleep with the lightning outside her window, there was only one person that she could think of at the moment that could ride out the storm with no problem.

Wufei.

Grabbing her pillow, she let her feet hit the hardwood floor, still warm despite the chilly night. The walls were dark due to the shadows, but because she had been lying awake for maybe an hour, Relena's eyes were well adjusted. She opened his door, much like she would on any given day without knocking. She could barely make out his form, but she knew he wasn't sleeping. The door had made a slight creak when it opened and being a Gundam pilot, he was well accustomed to sleeping very lightly.

"Yes Relena?" He turned over to face the doorway where she stood. Relena could tell he was sleepy for the look on his face. She was almost sorry for waking him up. Almost.

"…" she didn't say anything as she crossed around the other side of the bed and lifted the covers to slide in. Her back was to him, for good reason of course, for he had no shirt on while he slept and even though it was dark, she was sure that he'd be able to see the blush spreading over her.

"You're scared of the storm aren't you?" he managed. There was a smile in that question, she could hear it on his words.

"No," she mumbled into her pillow.

"You are." The bed shifted and Relena could tell that he was facing her. She had never been more thankful that the beds in the hotel were big. She never really thought about it, but Relena wouldn't say that she… liked Wufei. Maybe she did blush when she saw him with no shirt, or when she stopped to admire the said shirtless being. But that was it. There was no possible way that there could, or would, every be anything going on between them.

For a second, Relena was beginning to regret coming into the room, and getting into his bed without a word, but then at the flash of lightning she saw out his window, she sunk into the bed a bit more, perhaps scooted unconsciously towards the middle and tried to go to sleep, all the while reminding herself that she had come into his room without any sexual or attractive feelings towards Wufei.

Tsuyoku: Well, enjoy and return soon! I should have another chapter up in no time (aka about a few weeks or a month... ).


	7. Mission Accepted 7

Tsuyoku: How about a joke:

"If a big breastedwoman works at Hooters (c), then where does a one-legged woman work?"

"IHOP!!!"

Sry about that, I just wanted to put in this joke that I have heard lately into the fic. I thought it to be funny, maybe it birghtened up your day too?

MISSION ACCEPTED: CHAPTER SEVEN

Relena found it just a tiny bit hard to look Wufei in the eye as they were heading down the stairs and into the lobby of the Hotel. It had taken last night when she climbed into his bed to show that she had some feelings, physical or emotional, willing or not, for the Preventer Wufei. And that scared her. Relena was used to thinking about Heero. He was the one she thought about in the shower while washing her hair or after she stepped out of a cab onto the street. But this morning, there was an epiphany that Wufei was the one that occupied her thoughts. It is said that the one you think about at the most casual times is the person that you care most about. Those little moments when you step out of the shower, or when you try to decide what to eat for breakfast, or even when you are laying in bed at night, finally able to sacrifice your eyelids to the depth of sleep.

They exited the small hotel on the outskirts of London. Relena had been so fond of that place. And now looking at it, standing lovely against the flower basins at the windows, Relena knew that she would be coming there again sometime. The thought of staying here, especially with her job, was almost a haven-like dream. "Coming?" Wufei asked. She turned and looked at his eyes accidentally before fluttering them up to the sky. It was still bleak from the night before; it was a grey, much like her mind set about going back to the way life usually was.

"If I had the chance, I'd stay here longer." She replied while scooting into the cab. He followed her when all their bags were in the truck. All he did was smirk silently thinking to himself that he would have liked to as well.

The ride over to the airport was a silent one, this time with Relena a bit uncomfortable about the particular way she woke up that morning.

_Relena woke up to the sound of an alarm going off. It wasn't her choice of buzzer for a certain wake-up call; it was shrill and demanded that you hit the "off" or snooze" buttons before you think about anything else. But she was wide awake when the bed moved and an arm reached across her body to hit the button._

_"Hmm. Five more minutes would be nice." She mumbled. 'hand, a hand... not my hand. Someone else's hand...' Relena jerked her head up only to hit someone's chin, and judging by the 'ow' that sounded, it was Wufei._

_They both looked at each other, at the same time registering that Relena had crawled into the bed because of the storm and somewhat reveling in the fact that they did not have sex. Relena looked down the length of them. 'Funny,' she thought. 'I remember falling asleep on a different side of the bed last night.' _

_Wufei flashed a sleepy smirk and mumbled a 'good morning' her way before un-entangling himself from her limbs and rising from the bed. To say that they both moved around a bit at night was an understatement that was proven by loss of warmth Relena found at his removal. And how could he act so casual? She didn't make the assumption that he slept in the same bed with girls casually a lot, so there had to be something wrong there. Relena herself was blushing furiously. Before Wufei could return from the bathroom to get dressed--it would be a sexual overdrive to watch--Relena grabbed her pillow and until Wufei knocked on the bathroom door, engorged herself into her normal bathroom routine._

You might wonder what Wufei was doing this whole time. There Relena sat, not one foot away from him pondering the whole scenario from that morning in her mind, but was his mind on the same thing? In fact, he _was_ brooding on that subject. He had kept his cool that morning and he had no idea why. When he had woken up, minutes prior to the alarm blaring, he had known that Relena was in his arms, but instead he didn't register that they were there for a conference, or for any reason for that matter. He just enjoyed it because it felt good to let someone get this close to him for once. Then, when the alarm rang, he 'woke up' from his unusual thoughts before once again acknowledging the woman in his arms.

When he had gotten to the bathroom, turning to start a shower, Wufei saw his own blush in the mirror, much like the one he had seen on Relena's face just before he closed the bathroom door.

This was certainly unusual.

The trip to the airport was over, and hopefully were their thoughts on the matter of the previous night. The plane left two hours later to whisk the Vice Foreign Minister, the Preventer Wufei, and both of their unsure thoughts across the Atlantic pond to North America, a place of endless possibilities and opportunities.

Unfortunately our story doesn't follow them there. Instead, we flash forward to the day of their arrival back home in Japan and leave the previous month to refer back to later.

June 1st was a beautiful day indeed. Not only because there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but because Relena Darlain was finally home; she'd set foot on Japanese soil for the first time in a little over two months. Needless to say she was a bit eager to see people she missed and enjoy the comfortable vacation time that she'd set aside before the trip was even finished in the planning stages. This would be nice. And even though she'd like to go to that London hotel again--where no one knew her she might add--she did want to spend time back in Japan. It was one thing to live in peace, but here she was used to the noisy city life and the hustle and bustle that came with it.

"Vice Foreign Minister Darlain!" And so the reporters that bombarded the landing pad began. "Do you think your conference was effective?"

"Darlain, how do you think this will effect the demilitarization of the earth and colonies?"

New faces, new microphones. They could never stop talking and asking questions. It should seem to anyone that this was a serious invasion of privacy, but to Relena, there was no privacy. Her whole life, standing next to her father coming home from trips to outer space and massive parties, she had been in the spotlight, whether or not if the news was about her.

Today Relena did not answer the reporters; she merely walked through the swimming mass of cameras and phones towards the car that Sally Po had waiting for Wufei and her.

"Miss Relena, how was the trip?" Sally Po asked as she slid into the passenger seat of the car.

"I'm sure it was very effective, Sally. But more than anything, I'm just happy to be home. I sure have missed this city and everyone in it." She smiled, somehow knowing that Sally probably planned one of her parties again. Sally loved baking sweets and planning parties to serve them at. That was why whenever Sally could find an occasion, she got everything together. That was what kept a lot of their people happy, having free sweets, alcohol, and good company once in a while. It also kept all the Gundam pilots in one place mostly and as well, in good company with each other.

"Wufei, you will be assigned to Relena for the remainder of her vacation and then another Preventer will take over for you." Sally spoke from the front seat.

'Speaking of good company,' Relena thought. 'Where is he headed after me? Back to the desk job? For all our sakes, I certainly hope not. Now that he has a taste of the field, there won't be much patient waiting until another job comes up.' She sighed as they pulled up to Preventer's Headquarters. 'Happy to be home.' There was an unconscious emphasis on the word home in her mind.

"Relena, I know everyone will want to see you, why don't you come on up and see Noin and Zechs."

"Very well, Sally. I suppose I would like to see everyone," Relena smiled. She knew that Sally was coaxing her up where everyone was waiting. It happened almost every time that she came back from a trip. Not that Relena was complaining or anything...

"Surprise!" everyone said. Well, almost everyone. Everyone except for Trowa and Heero who were lingering in the back of the room like always. Heck, she'd be worried if they all of the sudden came up to her and said 'Surprise!!!'

She tried to act surprise, though Wufei did not hide his boredom at the over used expression. "Wow! It's great to see you guys again!" It was scary that every time she stayed away from this place for too long she somehow lost a spark that was only gained again by spending time with these guys, as unorthodox as they may seem.

It was a few hours later that we rejoin Relena where she has apparently joined in conversation with Noin over any things and nothings. "Relena, I think that you should be the first to know. Zechs and I are finally talking about marriage. After all these years, finally I'm seeing him become more and more human to the world everyday. It's just that I can't help but wonder that if there was some sort of war that came along, he'd leave again, and this time maybe not come back…"

"Noin, please don't worry about that. Do not worry about a war until there is a war to fret about. I'm doing all I can to encourage people that fighting on a battlefield with lives at hand is not the key. Reforming these politics might help the fighting in the conference rooms." She took in a deep breath, looking around the room at the small amount of people that still lingered, talking. One of those included Heero, whom stood there, stealing glances at her every now and then. "Milliardo knows that there is the chance of war, we all do. But any opening up to you, or talk of marriage, is a sign that maybe he is finally willing to settle down and give up a like of war and aliases." This sentence was accompanied with a true smile.

"Thank you, Relena. It's really been nice talking to you again after all this time, and we'll have to do this again sometime." They rose. Noin had left her to get Zechs so they could go. Two people that nice did not deserve to be that busy.

She was left with but a few people that lingered in the room, including most of the Gundam pilots. Duo was having fun, drinking a bit and still nibbling on some of the food in the room, thankfully not drunk. Quatre was there with Trowa, still being his modest self and putting himself between Wufei and Duo as they managed to annoy each other. And Trowa, with such interesting hair stood around, talking as little as he could and being the stereotypical Gundam pilot that he is.


	8. Mission Accepted 8

Mission Accepted: Chapter 8

Relena had never been very much for babies of any kind. Sure, she had that motherly instinct that most women had, and she knew the maternal basics, but there was a fine line between being good with children and just being ignorant.

Wufei, unfortunately, fell into the ignorant category.

Well, Noin and Zechs were away on their planned ahem 'conference', which unfortunately fell with the fact that they were already supposed to baby sit Noin's nephew. Everyone knew that the couple just needed a vacation with each other instead. So, after a last minute favor, Relena was called in and currently she was sitting in her living room with Wufei, looking at the cutest baby boy.

"Jack, you're so cute!" she giggled and pinched and poked at the baby. All the while, Wufei sat there, observing the odd display that Relena put on for the baby. She was off from work upon their return from the series of 'peace conferences', and, lo and behold, Wufei was still assigned as her Preventer till the end of the month. Whose protection she'd be blessed with next, she did not know. Relena just hoped that it wasn't Duo again. She still had stains on one of her best cream suits from when he was experimenting with wine one fine night.

"..." Wufei just sat in the corner, sipping at his tea. He wasn't thick enough to notice that the baby was indeed very cute. However, he still couldn't understand what all the amusement was.

"Oh, Wufei, don't pout because I'm not paying attention to you." She laughed. He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not pouting; I'm bored. Being cooped up in this apartment all day is almost as bad as being behind a desk." he sipped at the tea once again. "Almost." He added.

"Well, look who's finally showing some human emotion. It only took you about, oh let's see, twenty-one years to finally getting around to that?"

"May I remind you that it was my choice to act the way I did during the war?" Wufei said as he took another sip of his tea. Unlike Relena and her coffee, Wufei preferred tea to any drink. Most people just assumed that it was his oriental background, and maybe it was, but he had healthy tastes.

"Oh dear!" The exclamation brought Wufei out of his paper and to look at Relena holding Jack out with stretched arms. He couldn't help but smirk at the bit of throw-up that had landed not only in her hair but on her clothes and face as well. "Jack, you silly baby. Now I have to go wash up." Relena was playful. It was natural for a baby to throw up like that, and even though she had to go take a shower now, she still thought that he was so adorable, trying to look so innocent.

"Wufei, you'll have to play with Jack and make sure that he doesn't get into any trouble while I'm in the shower." Relena pulled the high chair over to Wufei's seat and gracefully took Jack off her hip and landed him in the chair. "There you go," she offered. "Be nice, and try to play with him while I'm gone. If you're really bored, you could try to feed him some of those peas over there, I'd say that it's just about his lunch time."

She was gone into the other room before Wufei could say anything. There he was alone with a kid. Wufei didn't have any younger brothers or sisters, so he didn't have any previous practice. Nor did he have any children of his own, of course. Now what was he to do? Relena could take forever in the shower if she wanted to, but she probably wouldn't considering she _was _leaving _him_ alone with a child. All he could do was look at Jack, staring into those wide, cerulean eyes, as if a staring contest was about to be won. When Jack didn't look away, Wufei didn't look away. But as any baby would, Jack got bored and looked around, landing his eyes on some peas that were certainly meant for him.

Wufei picked up the peas, popping the top off and looked inside. There really were no peas in this jar, just bits and pieces of mashed, green pieces in some pasty substance that looked and smelled a little sickening. But if that's what he wanted... The spoon lay on top of the baby bag where he'd gotten the peas, and he grabbed it not knowing how he was going to pull this off.

Relena returned about half an hour later, hair dried and up in a ponytail with just jeans and a t-shirt on. Wufei didn't know that Relena could look so casual, but it was a nice change from the blouses and slacks. Relena could almost pull off normal.

God, he _had _to get out of here.

Relena had to do a double take. "Are you actually feeding Jack?"

"Why do you look so surprised?"

"I don't know," Relena answered. It was all she could do to look at him there with a few drops of said peas stuck to his face, the tell tale smile that Jack would sometimes get on his face when Wufei was about to feed him the spoon.

The scraping of the spoon against an almost-empty jar sounded and Jack was fed the last of the peas. Wufei got up and went to the kitchen, Relena following after with Jack attached to her hip. She found Wufei washing out the jar and the spoon.

Kami, he wanted nothing more than to get out of there. Being there, being with her, was having it's effect on him. After his job with the conference, Wufei was sure that Sally would land him a few more jobs outside of the Preventers' Headquarters; as if reading his mind, Relena asked, "What type of job do you think you'll have next, Wufei?"

She was going to miss him, that was certain. In a sense, out of all of the Preventers, she hoped that Quatre would be next. Quatre was a great person to talk to. And he made great company -- as a fellow leader they had things in common that Relena usually didn't like to talk about casually. She felt very comfortable that she could talk to him about things like this because he _understood_ them. But whoever came, came, she supposed. And she would find out a few days from now.

"I'm not sure. I'm hoping that since this conference went well I'd be offered more jobs." Wufei would be gone in a few days. He couldn't say he was greatly happy about it, but he couldn't say that he was entirely sad about it either. It was time to get away from this feeling. It was time to get away from her.

Yes, Wufei was leaving. She'd gotten so used to him being there. They had gotten to know each other more over this time -- he'd been much better company in the end than she'd expected. But Relena knew that it was time for some much better company. The silence was great sometimes, but there were times when you could cut it with a knife, and that was only something Relena related with the stuck up political meetings she was forced to attend. But as it was, this was her chosen life.

"Well… I wish you well... Oh Jack, have you been a good boy?" The minute of silence was broken and once again replaced with the laughter of a baby boy that knew nothing of the drama that surrounded his current care givers.

Wufei just looked at her tending to the child. Yes. He had to get out of here.

$#&#$#$#!

It was a brand new day, and Jack's parents were in town again, which meant nothing interesting was happening around Relena's apartment. "Tsk. Why have a big house if you're never going to be there?" Relena asked herself as she observed an article about a fellow politician's personal life. 'Politicians don't have personal lives,' Relena thought. She sat on the couch and sighed again. Ah, what was the point of a vacation if she had nothing to do to keep her occupied. Relena eyed the doors to her study. She could just type that presentation. There was no harm in that.

"Don't even think about it." Wufei's voice had startled her out of her reverie. "We're going out."

"Out? Out where?" Relena stood up, following Wufei out to the hall closet and put her coat on.

"I don't know. But I've been cooped up in this apartment for far too long. You'd think that with a vacation like this, you would spend more of it out of doors, rather than in."

"You're right. But with Jack, I haven't had the energy since he left to do much of anything. Who knew that a boy could have so much, he can't even walk and he's got me chasing after him." Wufei looked at Relena from his position at the door. She smiled. "You're right. It's the last day that you're my bodyguard, so I'm taking you out wherever you like, my treat. It's only fair now that you've put up with me for the last few months."

"Yes, a few times it got difficult for me to control myself from strangling you." This didn't even phase Relena; she looked at him sweetly as if the statement applied to her as well. They exited the door and walked around until they found some cuisine that both agreed on.

The restaurant wasn't crowded, it didn't seem a day where many people would be out walking. The sun was barely shining through the clouds, which started to pour rain as soon as they entered the restaurant. It was a good thing that she liked the rain, except for the thunderstorms, but that was a different story. Relena looked up at Wufei. They hadn't spoken since their food had arrived, she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Did he have a lot of friends that he missed hanging out with? Nah, Wufei didn't seem the type to like going out for drinks with a bunch of people after work. But look at him! Just sitting there, solemn face, giving nothing away for her to ponder over, which made her inner monologue over lunch even worse.

"Wufei..." Relena began. He looked up at her over the salt and pepper between them. "Actually, never mind. It was just something stupid." Her fork stabbed another piece of lettuce. She had considered asking him if he would be assigned to her again... if he would even _like _to be assigned with her. But that would be a conversation that she wouldn't feel comfortable having in a public place.

Slightly Wufei pondered her inability to confess what she was thinking about. It seemed that when he wanted her to shut up, she wouldn't stop talking, but the times that he actually wanted to know what she was thinking, she clammed up. Women in general were still a mystery to him, and that wasn't going to change any time soon. The rest of the actual lunch was taken in silence, and when the waitress took their empty plates away, Relena just looked up from the salt shakers towards Wufei's direction. "Something wrong, Relena?"

She grimaced. "Just... wondering what bodyguards I'll have next." She didn't exactly lie, but is it lying when you're not telling the whole truth? "I know that I'll have a Gundam pilot, as usual. Hopefully not Duo..." Wufei smirk, showing that he understood what she meant. It wasn't that she didn't like the guy, he was one of her best friends, but 'quiet' and 'calm' were not in his vocabulary. "Maybe Quatre. Trowa's too quiet-"

"Like me."

Relena smiled. "Like you _used_ to be. Andyou're getting _reassigned_." Wufei noticed that she forgot to mention Heero; not that he was complaining or anything.

"I understand. They'll be with you... six months? Maybe you should be concerned."

"Wufei, I'm really sorry that this is your last day as my body guard. I cannot thank you enough for being such a great friend and ally throughout this entire conference."

Wufei could only give her a, 'this is my job, don't bother thanking me' look. But Relena could only see past it... past his eyes, which gleamed with a certain spark that wasn't there when she met him. It was comforting to look at, and even more so because Relena felt it was her intervention that lit a whole new being inside him -- or maybe it just woke an inner person, breaking the mask in which they both hid behind.

It was later that night when both found themselves sitting in her living room on the carpet. Wufei had tried to teach her the game of... chess, was it? But Relena hadn't quite gotten the hang of it yet, so they decided to switch games. They decided what games to play by battling with paper scissors. The night was fun. Neither of them really cared that this would be the last of their nights together. They didn't care that this could put a gap in their close relationship. This wasn't the time to worry over that; Relena knew there would be plenty of time after he left to realize how great she had it at this moment.

Jack's laughter filled the room again the next morning. Relena had pulled him up into her lap, where he now sat enamored by some television show that he probably didn't understand anyway. But at least he wasn't crying. Wufei was walking around the apartment checking very minuscule places in the house -- only to ensure her safety. Now, Relena would have taken this as a sign of affection or maybe a protective nature, had it not been Wufei doing it. And it would have been a nice sentiment, had she not been annoyed by the fact that he was spending the last while they were together to recheck everything.

"Wufei! Things are fine. Come here and play with Jack a moment. I'm sure he'll miss you around here." Wufei popped his head into the living room, followed by his body.

"Sorry if I was doing my job." His skeptical look broke when faced with her smile. "Speaking of job," he continued as he sat on the plush floor next to her. "Don't you go back to work next week?" Relena sighed for a moment, nodding her head in sad assurance. "Well, at least one of us is looking forward to going back to work."

Relena's forehead crinkled a bit -- _are you looking forward to leaving me... looking forward to getting away from this... relationship? _She couldn't say anything. For a moment her head only turned towards Jack, offering a small chuckle as a response instead of her own voice. A hand appeared on Jack's head, stroking the fuzzy bush of hair atop the boy's brow. Relena's eyes strayed to Wufei, who was looking at Jack.

"Jack, you'll just have to take care of the Vice-Foreign Minister here. Maybe you can do a better job than some of those guards they assign." Wufei's voice was something she'd miss. He was an intelligent companion – one which enticed her wit out on more than one frequent occasion. Wufei just looked at her for a moment and then strode out of the room.

Wufei was a calm person by nature. But Relena was getting antsy. She didn't want Wufei to leave, but being cooped up in this house for so long was getting to her – and she half wished whoever was coming would be there soon so she could stretch her legs a bit more. She sat there feeding Jack while Wufei was getting his things from upstairs.

And just as Relena put the last bite of some repulsively smelling baby corn into Jack's mouth, the door bell rang. "Wufei, could you get the door?" In the background, Relena could faintly hear the door opening and a few mumbles, but not a lot of conversation. The front door shut, and she could hear Wufei's footsteps headed towards the door to living room. He knocked.

"Hold on a sec, Jack. I'll be right back." She walked over to the door, making sure to stay in view of Jack the whole time, and opened it. "Wufei, who was at the door?"

"It's me, Relena," that was all he said. Well, that was all he had to say. Heero stood in front of her in the doorway of her living room. How long had it been since she had spoken to him? How long had it been since she had spoken or thought _about _him? Oh dear, this was not good for her rehabilitation. Would she be able to get through these next few months without returning to the person that she used to be, the person that everyone hated?

"Where's Wufei?" She managed to stutter the few words out.

"He's been reassigned. I'm your body guard for the next few months, Relena," still cold. Why was he always so distant when it was most inopportune for her?

"I see. Well," his bag hung weightlessly in his hand. "I'll show you upstairs." Relena picked up Jack and brushed past Heero to walk listlessly up to the second floor. She stopped in front of the guest room. _Wufei…_ He had stayed in this room. She walked in.

It still smelled a bit like Wufei. The sheets had been changed, everything had been cleaned, but there was something that lingered in this room that reminded her of the silent man.

And speaking of silent men – her thoughts were broken after a moment by a gurgle from Jack. She suddenly remembered the other occupant in the room. "Here's your room. There's closet space, and the bathroom is—"

"Relena, I know where everything is." It was only a statement. Only six words, but she knew what they were really implying. _'Remember that I used to live here too, Relena.'_ Yes, those words brought back memories about their life together. Relena couldn't help but sigh.

"Yes. Well, I leave you to unpack, and get something to eat ready. It's lunchtime; I'm sure you're hungry." And with that she left. Relena didn't feel like going out anymore; it was one thing for her to spend time in the same room with Heero, but her appetite for exercise was broken by her situation. _Six months. Six months I will have to be with Heero. What am I going to do with myself?!_

Her inner scream had ceased by the time her feet carried her to the kitchen. Jack was plopped into the high chair and she placed the half eaten jar of corn on the counter. Jack seemed content with watching her piddle about the kitchen making sandwiches than actually eat. "Jack, what should I do?" She quietly asked the young man. Her back leaned against the cool counter, arms behind her griping said surface.

His reply was just to smile. She tried to smile back, but the only thing Relena really wanted to do was crawl into her bedroom and stay there for the next six months. "I can't do that, can I, Jack?" The baby didn't even pretend to know what she was talking about.

_Thing is, I can't do that because if I'm going to get over what I felt for Heero years ago, then I have to face it head on. I have to act like nothing has happened between us. Not anymore._

)&#$)!&$)#$)$&#

Relena stretched her arms above her head. The alarm was steadily beeping – it was a tone that she liked. Unlike Wufei's alarm, which was shrill, she reached over and tapped the soft sounding machine until it stopped.

_I wonder if Wufei's got breakfast ready yet..._

Relena wandered downstairs after getting dressed. Her new cream suit managed to offset her golden hair beautifully, especially in the summer season. Her shoes made light tapping noises on the staircase steps until she met with the landing, where she turned towards the kitchen. But when she expected to find Wufei at the kitchen table sipping at morning tea, Relena found Heero leaning against the counter drinking coffee instead.

"Oh, good morning," she covered up her surprised well. _That's right. Wufei's not here anymore…_It had been only a few days since he'd left. And Wufei hadn't even said goodbye to her – he'd just walked out the door. Relena was returning back to work today, and she needed it, an escape, something to occupy her mind with.

She'd felt lost for the past few days. In between flat out ignoring Heero for the most part of the weekend, she was able to hold herself up in her study just taking care of a few pre-returning business propositions. But going back to work put her in a position where she didn't have to think about her social life. It was time to face the threat of war once again, and love and war weren't the best of friends. In fact, as far as most people thought, her work and a love life weren't meant to be together.

"Morning," he mumbled.

'Sure, act like you don't care about anything. That's all you're good for.' Relena thought bitterly. But she would never voice that aloud. Heero might actually take it personally and go back to his promise of killing her... if he didn't care for his job that is. 'This is going to be a long six months...'

Her mind was a brick wall until her hands found a hot mug of coffee."Let's head out. Don't want to be late for my first day back." Gosh, it reminded her of her first day of work. She hadn't had much time to think about the crazy, fluttering butterflies that busied her stomach. She took office at the end of a war. It was full of confusion, corruption, and caos. It was time to deal with it all over again. Instead of a war ending, it was time to keep the threat of war at bay and instead protect the world from it. She could do this; it was in her blood to lead -whether a country or a unified nation.

_Someone, help me._

Tsuyoku: Hello! It's been waaaaaaay toooo long. One announcement, things have been bleh for a long time: deaths in the family, school work, graduation, and AP and college exams... I'm almost dead here. But I already have most of chapter ten written... the hard part will be writing chapter nine. I know what's going to happen, but I'm not sure how to make it happen! Arg. But, please keep reading, I should be back online for a bit and starting on nine soon. Wish me luck and when I get them done, nine and ten should be up in noooooo time! Please Review! You know the motivation helps gets the chapters up faster!

ja ne!

Tyk.


	9. Mission Accepted 9

Tsuyoku: Dang... I wrote ten before this one, and I had no idea how to get this one going. Weird huh? But, one of my teachers quoted... 'Begin with the ending in mind.' So, I'm sticking to it that I was following her motto. Not that ten is the ending. I foresee about twelve chapters before this one wraps up. Shorter than my Inuyasha fic, longer than some others. And as much as I love this one, I'll be glad to finish it. To make it whole. Anyways... stop ranting, Tyk, and let's get on with the story.

Mission Accepted: Chapter Nine.

Review:

_Relena stretched her arms above her head. The alarm was steadily beeping – it was a tone that she liked. Unlike Wufei's alarm, which was shrill, she reached over and tapped the soft sounding machine until it stopped. _

_I wonder if Wufei's got breakfast ready yet..._

_Relena wandered downstairs after getting dressed. Her new cream suit managed to offset her golden hair beautifully, especially in the summer season. Her shoes made light tapping noises on the staircase steps until she met with the landing, where she turned towards the kitchen. But when she expected to find Wufei at the kitchen table sipping at morning tea, Relena found Heero leaning against the counter drinking coffee instead._

"_Oh, good morning," she covered up her surprised well. That's right. Wufei's not here anymore…It had been only a few days since he'd left. And Wufei hadn't even said goodbye to her – he'd just walked out the door. Relena was returning back to work today, and she needed it, an escape, something to occupy her mind with._

_She'd felt lost for the past few days. In between flat out ignoring Heero for the most part of the weekend, she was able to hold herself up in her study just taking care of a few pre-returning business propositions. But going back to work put her in a position where she didn't have to think about her social life. It was time to face the threat of war once again, and love and war weren't the best of friends. In fact, as far as most people thought, her work and a love life weren't meant to be together._

_"Morning," he mumbled. _

_'Sure, act like you don't care about anything. That's all you're good for.' Relena thought bitterly. But she would never voice that aloud. Heero might actually take it personally and go back to his promise of killing her... if he didn't care for his job that is. 'This is going to be a long six months...'_

_Her mind was a brick wall until her hands found a hot mug of coffee."Let's head out. Don't want to be late for my first day back." Gosh, it reminded her of her first day of work. She hadn't had much time to think about the crazy, fluttering butterflies that busied her stomach. She took office at the end of a war. It was full of confusion, corruption, and caos. It was time to deal with it all over again. Instead of a war ending, it was time to keep the threat of war at bay and instead protect the world from it. She could do this; it was in her blood to lead -whether a country or a unified nation._

_Someone, help me._

_End Review._

Relena sat in a board room, listening to mindless dribble from even worse men. They sat there, each from their own nations, talking about the need for weapons in times of peace... ironically sitting atop the Gundams as they spoke. She smiled a bit, thinking about the situation as she took in what these people claimed. The only other nation on her side, however, seemed to be France, which didn't inspire much courage due to their actions during the war.

But at least it was a start.

The meeting was held at the Preventers' building. She felt weird sitting there knowing that Wufei could be somewhere below her. What was he doing? Where was he going now that he was free from her watch?

Well, turned out, Wufei _was _downstairs -- in Sally's office. He was listening to her, while simultaneously wondering about Relena's situation. He had heard about her and Heero's encounters of the past over the years, either from her or others. Everyone knew about their 'relationship' a while back -- what people didn't know was how bad he had hurt her when things had gotten a bit too complicated for him.

"So, Wufei, I am granting you some vacation time while we assemble your next assignment." She aligned some papers she had and placed them into one of the drawers in her desk. Wufei looked at her having finished his thoughts about Relena.

"I don't need vacation time, Sally. I need to be on the job. You're treating this as if I haven't had down time in forever. I just got back into the field, and now you want me to just sit at home? What am I supposed to do?" Sally just looked at him and smiled.

"You'll think of something."

Wufei exited the office and made his way towards the elevator. Might as well take Sally's advice and go home. He hadn't really been alone -- really had time to himself -- these past six months, so he should be happy that he didn't have to babysit anymore. He could go do katas, he could sip tea while reading a book in silence, he could rest better knowing that he didn't have to sleep as light at night.

But the thing was... Relena wasn't a babysitting job. He could do katas. Hell, he showed her some, and watching her try and keep her balance at first was very amusing. And he could always take time to read with her. The silence was always comfortable around them, never becoming thick and overbearing. And as for sleep? The best way that he knew to sleep was having her right there beside him all night.

The elevator doors dinged in response to the main floor. His footsteps felt heavy on the marble flooring as he walked towards the double entrance of the building. The light shown bright outside in his eyes. After getting out into the humid weather, he raised his hand up to block the sunlight, and his head scanned the whole length of the building until he looked at the very top. Preventers' Headquarters wasn't a skyscrapper by scale, but it did stand out amongst the shorter corporate buildings surrounding it. But he looked not at the building for its size, but for what it held. Somewhere above him Relena Peacecraft was in the middle of one of her boring meetings about Peace. Most people recognized that peace took time to achieve, especially Relena. But what Relena didn't know was that peace for some of the men in that very room was nothing more than a silk veil to hide their own ambitions from the world -- Relena being percieved as the most gullible. She was anything but as far as the Chinese man was concerned. But he wasn't concerned about it anymore; or he shouldn't be at least.

Up, flights and flights up, we join Relena Peacecraft in her board meeting -- giving a whole new term to the double meaning the word 'board' implied. Her shoes were off underneath the table, and her chin rested elegantly upon folded hands seemingly listening to the entire conversation ahead of her. And while she was amazingly well rested and, of course, glad to be back, she wanted something more that talk. (A lot like her days as the Queen. She wanted less talk and more action.) But that was all they allowed her to do. Back then she was a facade and nothing more. But now her position gave her some power, which allowed her to do such things as this--

"Mister Corbeau, while you have excellent points in your speech, I would like to know about what you have done for your country in the forms of disarmament."

"Disarmament?" He seemed to have been taken a bit off-guard at her interruption of his speech. "Yes, Vice Minister. Our country has recognized that your leadship in disarming Japan and other eastern countries, and has started our own movement as well." His French accent shouted through the air as he spoke. Should she trust this man? He began on another speech about what he was doing for the movement in his country and what all the other leaders could do to inspire such a belief in their own countries. One would think that this was his meeting with all the talking that he was up to.

Heero stood off towards the side of the room and was listening intently to all that the men had to say. Most of them were full of crap. He could tell after dealing with men like this for part of the war (even though they were usually on the other side of a gun about to die) who was lying about what. And most of them really didn't care for Relena's views on such things as disarmaments. These leaders wanted to do the exact same thing the Japanese government had already done: keep weapons during times of peace.

There was a knock at the door and Relena stepped into her shoes to answer it, glad to be out of her seat for the time being. "Miss Relena," the lovely voice was from one Quatre Rabarber Winner. "We are very sorry to interrupt your meeting, but we must speak with you for a moment. It is urgent." Relena noticed that Trowa stood next to him. The silent man acknowledged her when their eyes met.

"Why yes, hold on for just a moment." She turned back into the room and excused herself for a the time being. Once she was clear of the threshold and the door shut, her attention turned to the once Gundam pilots. "Yes, Quatre, what can I do for you?"

"Miss Relena, we have just returned from our reconnaissance mission and there are a few issues we must report to you." Her full attention was on every word that came from his lips. If Quatre was deeply concerned about something, then she just better be concerned about it as well. "First of all, some of the factories that we surveyed are not as inactive as their governors make them out to be." He handed her a few black and white photos, which were a bit scratchy and small due to the dated spy cameras they had to use, but the message was clear. There was perfect evidence of mobile suits being made and stored in the facilty. "That's not all. We found a few more." More pictures came into her vision. Relena, having stayed silent listening to the information, looked with worried eyes which mirrored Quatre's. "Russia. Spain." More countries were listed as more photographs were placed into her hands. "But we found more factories operable in France."

This caught her attention. Trowa spoke up next. "We investigated the facilities and were able to get some information on the types of M.S. that they were building. It seems that the research was for the Mercurius and Vayete suits. Heero and I piloted those suits during the war, our data was put into the AI base. These mobile suits were made from Gundanium Alloy, and are virtually unstoppable when together as the Mercurius is a defensive suit, while the Vayete is offensive."

"France is trying to recreate these weapons?" Relena now knew why her gut had not trusted Minister Corbeau. There was always something about him that didn't seem quite trustworthy. The silent man nodded. "Thank you very much, Trowa, Quatre. This information has not come at a better time." She took the pictures and walked back into the meeting room. Heero's attention had been caught whenever he saw Quatre and Trowa at the door signifying that their mission was over. But the look that Relena had taken on when she came back into the room was along the lines of both madness and mischeviousness. She knew something and would definately get pleasure from taking it out on the men in the room.

"I appologize for my absence, gentlemen. However, it has come to my attention that Minister Corbeau has definately been set apart from the rest of you as he has shown us from time to time. While we all promote the issues of peace, it seems that Mr. Corbeau's armaments have not shut down. Quite the opposite, in fact." She slid across a few photos of the silos towards him where the other leaders around him could see.

"It has come to my attention that Mr Corbeau here has begun researching for M.S. materials and manufacturing needs. But not just your normal Leos or Aries. He has begun to build suits similar to that of Mercurius and Vayete." Her eyes locked with the minster's. In them seemed to gleam a certain hate and setback that she had not seen before. "You had better start setting the correct example for the others around you. This is a time of peace, and to keep these times for years ahead, I will push and push, until my last breath, to ensure that none of your countries are subject to any special conditions. I want all factories shut down, or there will cetainly be consequences with the unfied board. Are we understood for now?" There were the nods of heads, and certainly no interruptions. Relena felt satisfied.

"Good. I declare this meeting adjurned until next time. And we had better start seeing some results, gentlemen. For all our sakes."

Relena felt like the Queen of the world -- in a good way of course. She was a woman, and she was at least thirty years younger than any of them, and look at the way they bent to her needs. She wasn't one for slavery or intimdating others, but sometimes they made her so mad meaning one thing and spouting another.

_You're no different. You say things like this -- speeches about peace and that there's no need for weapons. 'Without them, there would be no way to start war again.' Do you really believe that, Relena? Look at yourself. Below your feet, below the building, the Gundams are laying in wait._

She sighed. Her thoughts were right. What hypocritical thoughts. She only told herself that this country she knew -- she could trust _most _of its leaders -- and that the Gundams were there to protect the peace. What if they went for years without weapons, and suddenly someone new came up and there was no way for them to defend themselves or others?

_But wasn't this what the other people were thinking?_

She sighed again. The pictures were left on the table as she had thrown them there, and Relena walked from the almost empty business room leaving Heero in the silent wake. She walks down the hallway, slowly, going nowhere in particular. She had been excited about coming back to work, but thinking about what she was saying to these people was unsettling in many ways. She reached the window at the end of the hallway, absent-mindedly noticing Heero's footsteps behind her. Her eyes darted to the streets. Many people, many faces. Some she could see, others she couldn't. Her place inside the building, high up, made everything look so small, so insignificant. Relena's eyes scanned each face that she could make out on the street. Most were close to the building. She didn't recognize anyone in particular, they all looked---

"What the?" She tried to exclaim silently, but her words came out in a rush of whispering air. Heero didn't really seem to notice or care for now, all he did was stand behind her. But she saw Wufei. Relena searched the crowd again. She'd lost the face; but she was so sure that she saw him standing there looking up at the building as if he was searching for her as well. _Oh, Kami, I miss you, Wufei. I miss you already. I... I wish you were still with me -- that I could've told you --_

Heero stepped closer to her, sensing a change in her person. The proximity lessened between the two bodies as Heero stared at her with these unwavering blue eyes; they were the same blue eyes, the same look as he had sent her way when they were 'in love', hard gaze, yet slightly soft. _What is he thinking?_

"I have to use the restroom," Relena disrupted as her body turned away from him to stride towards the restroom to her left barely glancing back at her former lover. The inside of the restroom was warm and beautiful. Plentiful were floral couches, vases full of flowers, and mirrors in the 'sitting room' before you reached the restroom part. Relena knew full well that Heero would be outside the door thinking who knows what. She paced a bit through the large room until her reflection in one of the big mirrors caught her eye. She glanced at her reflection, wiping the tears from the tops of her cheeks leaving a puffy look to her eyes. _I don't love Heero._ _I understand he has these issues with being human, but now that he all of the sudden knows what he wants... why? Does he suddenly love me again? _She let out a frustrated grunt into her hands, careful not to make any loud noises lest Heero come in to see what was wrong.

"I can do this; there's nothing holding me back anymore. I just don't care; if I can manage to stick out these next few months, be strong, then I - I --" _Damn. _The room was closing in on her, things getting smaller. Her breath quickened and she broke her stare with the mirror. _I've got to get out of here! _But Heero wouldn't help the situation. Her head jerked around. Behind her! _There. _It was another exit. An entrance from the other hallway. She opened the door slowly, trying to figure out if it really was the hall parallel to the one Heero stood in. She tiptoed out and towards the elevevator, all the while thanking the lords that it was close, not caring who saw her acting so weird. Heero was a machine, and there were times when she was scared of him, of him being angry at her. Relena in her life had only seen a fraction of what they, as Gundam Pilots, were capable of, and it eeked her a bit to think of what any of them could to even without the machines.

Her finger was frantically hitting the down button, still afraid that she was going to get caught. With her luck, Heero would be in the ladies' room any minute looking for her -- he had no shame at all. The down arrow above the doors lit up, which only made her more anxious to get in there. She wanted to find Wufei... to -- well, what would she do if she found him? Ran into him? Tell him she loved him? Maybe she did, but Relena couldn't be certain that she would voice it aloud right now.

The doors opened, she sighed. _Good, it's empty. I don't know what I would have done if other people were in here. What would they think at the Vice Foreign Minister being flustered as if she was running from someone. _She laughed a bit at the thought as her feet carried her over the threshold, her nerves were a bit more at ease now. She wasn't in the clear, however, for Heero was a Gundam Pilot and she was his job. And you didn't come between a Gundam pilot and his mission.

She sighed and tapped the 1st level button looking straight at the 'B" button. _The basement_. Talk about memories. It seemed so long ago now. She hadn't even spent much time down there, but it was enough to come to a decision about her life, and Wufei was there to witness it. The ride down took forever, not just because the Preventers' Headquarters was such a tall building. Finally, doors opened; she nodded at a few people who acknoweldged her and then walked into the lobby. Sheila, one of the receptionists, was busy as usual. Relena walked out into the sun. She felt free, the sunlight shining on her skin, illuminating her hair and suit. There were enough people here that she wouldn't be easily spotted.

Good. Because she ran.

She ran like Hell as fast as her heels could take her,

Some people looked at her a bit funny, others just stared. She didn't care. Relena just ran. To where? She didn't know. Nor did she care. She passed a fence, a fence she recognized.

A smile lit up her face for a few seconds.

Relena had just escaped a Gundam pilot. In more ways than one...

Tsuyoku: Well, there's nine. Took me forever. But eight was holding me up, and I had chapter ten written long before nine. You know how it get's sometimes -- you know exactly where the story is going... but you just can't figure out how exactly to bridge the gap you've made between the two parts.

I believe that the next chapter is the beginning of something bigger. I can't say that there is a lot of 'fluff' in the next chapter, but there's a lot of something there. Hehe. I like it. But I'm not sure if I'm exactly finished with it. Well, anyways, it should be up here in a little while. Sorry it's been sooooooooo long since I've posted.

love,

Tyk.


	10. Mission Accepted 10

Tsuyoku: WARNING: This chapter does get a little mature. I expect that most people mature enough to write or read good fanfiction will be mature enough to handle adult situations understandably. This chapter does not contain a lemon, and I cannot even say that this contains a lime. If you are not able to handle something like this, then just skip over the _paragraph or two_ that contains something bad and read on. It only serves to enhance the plot point, not make it.

Mission Accepted: Chapter Ten

Relena passed the fence, ironically noticing that it was the same fence by the bay area where she'd first met Heero.

_Heero._ Kami, why did she think of him? It _was _a childhood infatuation, wasn't it? It should have passed by now, shouldn't it have? There was no reason why she should have kept liking him!

Relena kept running. She turned past the fence and ran down the stone steps until she felt the soft sand underneath her heels. How had she been able to run in them anyways? Maybe it was experience... A few years ago, Relena could remember herself running away from a terrorist, if you could call him that. It wasn't a bad attack, but never the less someone had tried to shoot her. Albeit it was a water gun, and possibly just a joke.

But Relena _had_ been running, just like she was a few minutes ago. However, even then Trowa had caught up to her and thrown her over his shoulder, which didn't sit too well with Relena. He wasn't one that would look at or even touch a woman's behind while on duty -- she couldn't even imagine him doing it while off duty -- but Relena still remembered how uncomfortable that it made her.

She found a dry spot on the sand where she could sit down without getting too dirty. Walking about with a dirty butt wasn't something she wanted in the tabloids any time soon. It was only then that she noticed someone out on the water. Well, not _on _the water, on a boat on the water. They stood at on the bow and they seemed to be doing some sort of 'kata' that she had seen Wufei do from time to time. He had taught her a few motions, something really to release stress with. And he'd taught her a lot about the history and some of the terminology for it.

_Wufei_. Relena wondered where he was at this moment. Not that she really cared -- well, _she did_, really -- but she realized that he wasn't her protector anymore, he was _probably_ out on _another_ assignment. That was great for him, she was really glad to see him out and on with his life. Relena remembered how she first met him, _really _met him. The time machine had shown her who he would become, and what her disappearance would do to him.

Then she had discovered who he was just by talking to him. The reluctant Wufei, she remembered, surprisingly opened up when they went on the conference. It was a campaign to spread the word of peace, and even more so, to spread that war was only good for solving over population issues.

But it had been more than that. She had seen Wufei as a person, as the person she had met in the future sitting there looking almost dead. Relena had shared something with him. He knew about her fear of thunderstorms, and he knew about her lust for a life not quite so busy. It was comforting to know that someone else knew how she felt.

As Relena stared at the person on the boat, she took in how solid they moved and that she only wished her life was as fluid as those gestures were. But they started to lower themselves into the small boat, probably returning home... to a family.

Damn, Relena, don't start thinking about that. Last time you did, you ended up in the future.

_And look what that sparked._ She'd taken Wufei out of his cubby hole.

The thought made her laugh. She leaned back onto the stone wall behind her. No one could see her even if they were looking straight down from the ledge above her. The only person who knew she was here was the person in the boat, and they didn't look dangerous.

Well... they were practicing kata. That meant that they knew martial arts, like a lot of people around here. But they could be dangerous. Would they attack her once they got to shore? They were headed this way, Relena could tell.

But as she looked towards the sea, the sun shining as it was fading down lighting the back of the person, she couldn't help but sigh and feel so content.

Oh hell, if that person decided that they wanted to knock off the former Queen, they could. At least she would die happy and content. It was much better dying in front of thousand people giving a speech, bleeding over the front row and a few camera men as well.

_Okay, come and get me._ Closing her eyes, the last thing she saw was a pile of clothes, probably belonging to the guy on the boat. They looked familiar, but who cares. She felt tired, like she needed some sleep. Her eyes were covered by her eye lids, the smell of the salty sea in her nose, the air cool and crisp. Oh, everyday should feel like this. She began to sleep, not caring who found her.

As long as it wasn't Heero. Then she'd be in for it. Well, Relena knew that she would be in trouble whenever she went back. Or more likely, Relena knew she'd be in trouble when Heero or the other men found her. Sneaking away like that, it wasn't like her. Nor was it like Heero to not notice her leaving. But all things aside, Relena was enjoying herself now, and that was that.

Her eyes began to fall again, and the depths of sleep were just in arms reach.

"What are you doing here?" Dammit, couldn't she get some peace and quiet. She was sleepy for goodness sake! "Relena." Her shoulder shook, a hand warm on the side of her arm. Her eyes flew open.

"Wufei?" Her vision was blurred for a second there, but it was unmistakably him. Relena would know him anywhere. So that's why she recognized the clothing, it was his.

"Relena, what are you doing here? Where is Heero?" Wufei was starting to seethe. How could Heero let her out of his sight? Suppose someone else had come to the beach instead of him, finding her asleep? Boy, what was she thinking doing this? "Why are you alone, where's Heero?"

At Heero's name, she was awake. "Please don't call him, Wufei! I can't stay with him or I'll -- I'll..." Relena looked at him with pleading eyes until she couldn't speak anymore. Her face was suddenly moist with a salty river of tears coming hard and fast.

"What?" That was all he could say.

"Wu-Wufei. I-I..." He could barely make her out between gasps of sobs and air. She began to calm herself down, still crying. "Wufei... I can't be around Heero. I was suddenly getting over him. I didn't need him in my life, I became something other than the total bitch that hung around Headquarters just to hang off him!"

Wufei sat beside her and pushed her head into his bare chest while wrapping both arms around her. "And now I am becoming that girl again!"

"No, no you're not."

"Yes, I am. I just want him out of my head. He was just a childhood obsession. How could this have grown into something so... big? So overbearing?" Wufei couldn't answer her. Or could he?

"Relena, has it gone to anything but obsession? Is he your friend? Do you want to be around him? Do you --" He paused, not wanting to say it, but having to anyway. "--Do you Love him?" Moments separated her response from his.

"No." Wufei didn't even know he was holding his breath until then. What was wrong with him? Was it _he_ who was having the obsession problem? He couldn't get her out of his head; he even went to do kata out where no one could bother him. And as fate would have it, he returned only to find her, the plague of his mind, on the beach seemingly waiting for him. Alone.

"No, I don't love Heero. But there's something there."

"It seems that he was the first person you found interesting." Relena pushed off his chest and looked at him. Wufei was understanding her... he was being _understanding_. This went against most rumors about his persona. Or maybe he was only like this with her. Relena's heart jumped at that thought, her own personal Wufei. Like a little pocket personality she could take out and play with whenever she wanted to. He continued, "so he'll always have a special place in your heart. But maybe that's as far as it goes. You've got to think about now. Think about the future... not the past."

It struck a cord, that was for certain. Maybe if she thought about the future, things would be clear. Wait, Relena knew about the future. She knew what it would end up like if she was to give back into her feelings. All of them would be miserable. Why, wasn't it the day that she came back from the future that she found Wufei, broken and stuffed away? She took him out to the world and found a new life. Relena wanted that again.

_Was it Wufei? These feelings?_

Oh boy, not the Preventer Wufei. It couldn't be.

"Relena. You've got to go back. They're looking for you, I'm sure."

"Yes, that bathroom has to be invaded by now." Wufei looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. "Long story." She shifted, finding herself on his lap. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but it was a different one that's for sure. "Wufei. Please, I don't want to go back there... to him. Not right now."

He looked at her with no emotion in his eyes. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. He knew she had to go back... there was no stopping it. No doubt the Headquarters had been notified. They'd better get out of the sand, and out of this position too. What would people think if they were to be found entangled like this?

What if he took her home? No. There was no way. She had to go back to the Preventers. To Heero. But why did it feel like a crime to even think that? Was it because she looked as if she was going to cry every time he was mentioned? Or maybe it was that _he _didn't want to think about her being around Heero. Heero wasn't healthy for her. Not to mention, no one knew what was going on in his head. Did he like Relena? Did he... Love Relena? No. There was no way.

"Come home with me." The question startled both of them. Wufei hadn't realized he'd said it, and Relena hadn't believed he'd said it. "I mean, you can stay with me -- you can stay at my place for a while just to calm down. Then you can go back and face this. But for now, I think you need a little away time."

Relena knew he was right. When Heero found her, she wouldn't hear the end of this. '_You escaped,' _he'd say. '_You left, and didn't tell us where you were going. You didn't take anyone with you. You could've gotten killed. You put yourself in danger and threw this entire base into an uproar.'_

Yeah, Relena supposed he'd say something like that. But Heero would say it with a straight face and calm demeanor, which was much worse than hearing it from an angry person. And she'd sit there like a child being scolded by an adult for something. Maybe he'd put her in time-out or say she was grounded. _Don't tease, _she told herself. _He might actually not allow you to go anywhere. He might actually go to the bathroom with you from now on..._

She shivered at that horrifying thought. Wufei, however, took the shiver as her being cold. And he was right, it was a bit chilly out. He didn't have a shirt on, which made the breeze feel even a bit cold against his skin. Relena quickly found herself on the ground with Wufei standing above her, holding out his hand., which Relena thoughtfully took.

Maybe she wasn't attracted to the _preventer_ Wufei, but there was something about _her Wufei_ that she would admit was something precious to her.

$$$&&#&$#$&&&$#$

Wufei had gotten them home, not having any trouble getting there with the missing Vice Foreign Minister along with him. In his head he cursed the system that Heero used when he was in command. What was with all the bitter feelings about Heero lately anyway? His keys sounded in the lock, and the door opened to Relena revealing a small apartment obviously built for one.

But it was cozy. And most of all, it smelled like Wufei. She wondered to herself if it was the apartment that smelled like Wufei, or Wufei that smelt like the apartment...? Huh, something to ponder later. Both of them stepped into the living room. It was predictable that a man like Wufei would have only the most basic necessities, and hardly any personal items, which was true. Though Relena spied a few ornaments about the rooms that showed something about Wufei. She promised herself that she would look about when she got the chance.

But now, what to do...? She was here with Wufei... ALONE. In HIS apartment. Did she mention that they were alone?

"Well, I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some?" Relena, in her nervousness nodded, not being a BIG tea drinker, but anything to break the ice. He entered the kitchen, which Relena noticed was a small side-room off the living room. This only fueled the 'basic necessities' rule that Gundam pilots usually had. Even Quatre, who was wealthy, kept his life private, his houses small, and his bank accounts large. Just as she preferred it.

Sounds from the kitchen told her that Wufei was busy with the stove. She wandered over to the TV, which didn't seemed to be used very much since it was unplugged. She found his real form of entertainment to be the bookshelves. Necessities indeed, but it seemed Wufei had a spot for some nice literature. Relena didn't recognize a lot of the titles, her fingers scanning over the bindings behind her eyes. But she followed the wall until it came to the kitchen doorway.

It was a small kitchen, like the apartment, but useful. And Relena could tell it was used. His culinary skills hadn't bloomed from thin air, they were very nice as she had learned. Most nights, Wufei would make something for dinner, which would be like eating four star cuisine. She inwardly sighed at her basic skills in the kitchen. She had an excuse though. Helping lead the world into a new way of life did take some time and effort.

Next thing Wufei appeared in front of her with a mug. "Careful, it's hot," was all he said. She followed him back to the living room.

"You don't watch a lot of TV, I see." _Yeah, nice conversation starter, Relena. _If she could've, Relena would've rolled her eyes at her statement. But none the less, Wufei answered. He _was_ getting better at his conversational skills.

"No, I prefer to read." He sat on the couch. Relena finally got the nerve to plug in the small set and walked over to the couch. She was sure not to sit too close to Wufei. The remote clicked the TV on, and a familiar, light ring of electronics filled the room. _That's probably not a sound that this place hears a lot._

"In other news, the Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Darlain, has taken ill." The newscaster's feminine voice caught both of their attention and the TV's volume increased. "She recently returned to office after some time off of work from her conference through Europe and the Americas. However, reports from Preventer's headquarters have informed us that Ms. Darlain may not be seen for a while again. We are hoping that she makes a full recovery and, of course, we'll report any updates on her condition as they come in." The woman turned in her seat to face another camera, and Relena stopped listening. She turned the TV down.

"They must know that I am off the street then, don't they?" She looked toward Wufei.

"Yes, you're right. But sickness? I knew they were corny there, but not this bad." Wufei had a bit of uncommon malice in his voice. Relena just didn't know that it was Heero he was cursing instead of anyone else. She _had_ to have been crafty to get away from him, or Heero was lacking these days.

Both watched the TV in silence while drinking their tea. Relena had never seen so many commercials before, and Wufei had never seen this much TV since... well, forever.

It stayed that way until the sun was well set, and the hours grew long. Relena found herself laughing at some of the evening sitcoms that came on, all the while enticing Wufei out of his book by her voice when she did. It was nice, this comfortable silence without either of them really having to talk. Kind of like being back at her place while he was still assigned to her. But soon enough her lips parted, and a yawn to end all yawns emerged. It seemed that she was still tired from her almost nap at the beach.

"Go to bed. It's down the hall, across from the bathroom." Wufei didn't even look up from his book. "I'll take the couch." Relena stood, but just looked at him, once again taking his attention from the book to her and her only.

"Wufei, I'm not going to make you sleep on the couch. I'll take it. Or we can just share the bed. We've done it before, so there's no problem, right?" Wufei searched her eyes but couldn't find any ulterior motive to them sleeping in the same bed. He put his book down and turned off the lights.

Wufei had to admit, this was a bit awkward. Before, it hadn't been them going to bed _together_, it was her climbing in when he was too tired to really care or see the situation as anything more than sleep. But now, as she was in the bathroom across the hall changing out of her strangling business suit and into some of _his _clothes, Wufei could barely change for all the thoughts running through his head.

Relena walked in. There was a fit of laughter that he kept in his throat -- the clothing was way _too_ big for her, not to mention that it was obviously men's clothing that she had on. But then again there was a tinge of what...? Desire? Oh god, not now of all times.

Relena looked around and found the room still bare of everything but the necessities. She almost laughed at it, still oblivious to Wufei's reaction of her. She was definitely taking this a bit lighter that he was. She jumped on the bed. Relena had chosen the side that he normally slept on, which threw him off even more, but he could deal with it. He turned out the lights and crawled into the bed making sure that his back was to her and closed his eyes, surprised that even in this situation, sleep was coming easy to him.

Later, Wufei woke up because of a large sound rumbling through the house. His instincts would have set into motion and he'd have jumped out of the bed had it not registered to him that it was thunder. He laid his head back down to go to sleep. Only he was startled by movement on _his_ side of the bed. "Relena?" How could he have forgotten that she was there... sharing his bed no less? "What--?"

Relena grabbed his shirt, rolling towards the middle of the bed. Was she asleep? Oh... it was storming, that's why she was tossing about. Wufei started to roll over feeling her hands let go of his shirt. His eyes met hers. "The storm?" She nodded. Of all the nights it had to storm, why this one?

"When... when I was little, my mom would take care of me when storms came. She'd give me some hot chocolate and let me sleep in her bed with dad. But she would get sick a lot, and father would go on business trips as well. They said that it was because of these sicknesses that she couldn't have children, and I wasn't allowed to see her when she became ill." Relena swallowed, but continued. "Ironically, the storms almost always came when she was sick, as if the gods knew how mother felt. There would be no one I could run to. Not mother, not father... so I stayed in bed and waited them out if I had to. Sometimes Pagan would stay up and read a book to me until I fell asleep." She looked down, staring at nothing -- thinking on her past. "But now, I've always been alone when storms come. I hate them. It's childish, but I'm afraid."

Relena had just admitted that she was afraid. She never did that. But Wufei was an exception. "I'm afraid of a lot of things, Wufei. I'm afraid of what people think. "She met his eyes again, still starting at her. Had they ever looked away this entire time she'd been talking? "I..." But she drifted off.

"What?" Wufei pondered allowed. She looked at him, they were so close, almost enough to touch. Relena just looked at him. Was she getting closer? Her hands grabbed his neck, and at the same time her lips pushed against his own, wanting and needing. At first, Wufei didn't know how to react, but soon, he couldn't get away from her, body and soul. They kissed until each needed a breath, both soon entangled in a bed of limbs and pillows. She touched him as he touched her; the sexual power in the air charged both bodies. Soon, his hands roamed her hips, waist, chest, legs, wherever he could touch, anywhere he could touch. It had been so long since he'd touched a woman in this way. But was it so powerful because it was Relena? Those feelings and... _desires_ from earlier arose.

Relena rolled on top of him, grazing her lips over his again, scraping her hands underneath his shirt and up and down his chest. She straddled his waist and reached a better angle for both of them. She faintly wondered if he was feeling these emotions and desires like she was. It was a dark, burning sensation through which her hips glided over his, her body rubbing over the length of his own as her mouth inflamed his skin with every touch -- his lips, neck, chest, everywhere she could kiss. Her desire was becoming apparent, and so was his own. Sweat was building up -- a light layer of it covered her shoulders underneath her borrowed t-shirt. Her hips contacted with his own only to feel the evidence of his own desire so close to her. A small gasp escaped her lips right into his ear. He was so close to her... in many ways. She loved what he did to her mind and her soul. These attacks that his eyes and his words could rage upon her only drove her deeper into the throws of passion as she assaulted his skin even more fiercely.

Wufei _loved_ the feeling; there were no words that could describe how this woman made him feel. He loved her hips over his own; he loved the feel of her lips grazing, chewing, loving his. But it had to stop. They were both high on pent up feelings, which meant that they weren't in their right minds.

Oh Kami, she'd moved to kiss his neck. "Relena..." Wufei could barely talk. Any man in his right mind would not think about stopping a gorgeous woman like this when she was practically inviting him between her legs, but this was Wufei, and he knew that right now this was wrong.

"Relena." He pushed on her, rolling her off of him back onto the bed. He lay above her, supporting his weight on his forearms. "As much as I'd love this, I can't. We can't. I'm suppose to be your protector. Kami, you put these feelings inside me, I just don't know what to do. But until I know you feel the same way about me as I do you, until I know that this is not a spur of the moment fling that you will regret, I cannot allow myself the pleasure of your body." Wufei didn't even blush, which surprised him.

Relena had just laid there. She didn't know what was going on, except that Wufei didn't want to sleep with her. Did he not feel the same way? Maybe... All she could do was look down the length of them and stare at their bodies, which had molded together only a few moments ago. All she could do was blink back some tears as the bed dipped and Wufei moved himself and a pillow to the couch. She _was _in her right mind.

She loved Wufei. Couldn't he see that? It wouldn't have been a fling...

She couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger that he would even think that of her. But that could wait, Relena just rolled on her side and swept back into sleep, tears running down her cheeks at the rejection she'd suffered and the storm that still echoed softly through the room. Memories of lonely nights just like this one echoed through her thoughts. She flashed back to her childhood -- laying in her large bed wishing that some magic knight would come take her away and never let her be alone again. Wufei might just as well have been that knight, but...

Wufei lay on the couch, body cooling down, still feeling her body against his. That, of course, was coupled with the guilt of leaving her in the room by herself when it was still storming. But how could he stay there? The desire was too great, and he was her protector. How could he know if she was in her right mind or not? If he stayed, he would've pinned her to the bed because of his complete lust, but that's why he left.

Maybe it was because he didn't want her to know that he felt that way. Sleep came slow for Wufei, still thinking about what had just happened between them, and if it was going to create a gap in their relationship. He didn't want that of all things. Suppose that he had stayed with her -- would that change in relationship cause a gap too? If she had been out of her mind, would she have regretted acting so open and letting him inside her? Would she reject him for taking advantage of her?

Wufei could only guess that it was better to reject than be rejected.

The next morning was a bit awkward. They didn't know what exactly they were going to do about their situation -- or really, their situations. But needless to say it was a bit quiet in the apartment as Wufei busied himself making a small breakfast. Relena took the time to look at some of the books on his shelf. There was a different pair of glasses laying on one of the shelves than she had seen him wear, and she giggled a bit at thinking of Wufei wearing them. They looked a bit odd, like something an older lady might use instead of a man his age.

"Something funny?" Relena turned around to see Wufei with a small smirk on his face. He seemed to have witness her laughter. Never the less, it seemed to break the ice a bit between them.

"I was just thinking of you wearing these odd glasses." He nodded with a knowing look on his face.

"Yes, I usually wear them when I'm up late reading, my eyes get a bit unfocused. I don't travel with them because they are old. You've seen the newer pair that I have used." He looked down at his hands. "Here," Wufei handed the steaming tea over to her and put some toast on the coffee table in front of them. Relena turned on the TV, since it was still plugged into the wall from last night.

An image of Lady Une appeared on the screen. Her glasses were sternly placed along her nose, her hair put up in a messy bun. Both Relena and Wufei knew what.. er.. _mood_ Une was in, even before she spoke. Beneath her, the scrolling words read, 'Preventer's Lying? Images of Relena Darlain Seen Outside Convention Center Alone Lady Une Reports From Preventer's Headquarters etc...'

Une began speaking, obviously trying to patch up what the news had obviously blown out of proportion. Or had they? It was true, whether Relena wanted to admit it or not. "Relena left the Preventers' Headquarters yesterday after a meeting with various foreign government individuals. She had not been feeling well before the meeting began, and Relena then took the rest of the afternoon off to take some time to herself, preferring to get some fresh air before returning to her residence."

"So that will cover any people that saw you walking out in public." Wufei stated. Relena nodded. They were known to be crafty at covering things up at Preventers' Headquarters. A question was heard over all the other voices in the room.

"Lady Une, there are rumors that Relena was seen with an unidentifiable male who she left with. What do you have to say?" Like the previous night, both Wufei's and Relena's heads shot up at the question.

Lady Une for a moment looked taken back, as if she hadn't expected that question, but she quickly recovered and answered it very quickly, "Yes, that young man was her escort, a Preventer, and was taking Ms. Darlain home after her walk. Our Vice Foreign Minister is _always_ under supervision." Wufei and Relena scoffed at the statement. But Relena looked at Wufei and wondered if Preventer's knew that it was _Wufei_ taking her to _his_ home.

Une continued, "however, Miss Relena is now resting and will hopefully make a full recovery shortly. Thank you, that is all." Une walked off, rejecting any offered questions.

Relena turned off the TV. She wasn't in the mood for this. She wasn't in the mood for anything; Relena just wanted Wufei and her to go back to where they were before. Back when he was assigned to her. And instead of her time spent with him being a job... he made it a life. Wufei was the one that made her day special, and it was because of that, because he was there, that she wanted those days back. But who knew what was going to happen? She had to leave. Relena knew that she had to go home, back to her job, before this was really blown out of proportion and the other pilots were sent to find her.

"Wufei... I," she started. What was she supposed to say? 'I molested you last night because I love you -- you're not some fling. So let's go have a happy ending'? No, that was impossible for both their situations. She sighed, "I have to go now." He just looked at her for a moment before rising from the couch and placing their dishes in the sink. "I have to go back because it is my job, and whatever things are thrown my way, I can handle it." She stood up in the middle of the living room; Wufei came to greet her after he'd disposed of the dishes.

"I understand."

She smiled. "Thank you, Wufei. You have been a great support to me. Please, I'm glad you've been here for me, and whatever's happened, whatever does happen, I hope you will always be here for me as I will be here for you." Relena walked over and hugged Wufei. They hadn't had much physical contact since they had been partners: the sleeping in the same beds, the miscellaneous touches that sometimes would occur, and now. She released him, glancing over his figure once again as if she wanted to say or do something, but she just smiled and walked towards the door.

"Wait, I'll drive you," he interrupeted.

"No, Wufei, if anyone sees you dropping me off at my house, then that could stir-up trouble and lots of questions for the both of us. I'll just walk." His face said otherwise. "Don't worry, I know some shortcuts, I won't let myself be seen. I didn't care yesterday, but today I'll stay hidden in honor of the trouble that I've already caused headquarters." She smiled once more as she walked out the door.

As she headed down the steps of his apartment complex, he said, "I'll watch you until you disappear. I won't let anything happen to you." She just made a small laugh and turned to keep walking. And Wufei held up his end of the bargain; he did watch her. He watched as she hit the sidewalk, he watched as she passed the rosebushes about to turn the corner, and he watched as a car pulled up beside her. Automatically his defenses went up, and Wufei began to run down the stairs. A figure got out of the car and discretly grabbed Relena, who kicked and screamed from under their hands.

Wufei hit the pavement and ran as fast as he could towards the car that was just driving away. He would have called Headquarters that very second to sound the alarm had he not seen the license plate.

'PHQ901'

_Noin's car. _"So Headquarters found her," he turned to go back inside and get ready to head out. 'Figures. I bet they were looking the streets for her this entire morning.' Whatever the cause be, he knew that she was safe from harm.

After the car drove off into the distance, Wufei left for Headquarters. He didn't even bother saying anything to anyone, he had a bone to pick with a certain person. Wufei just walked straight to Sally's office only to bang on her desk and say, "why." It wasn't a question, it was a demand.

"Why what?"

"Why did you assign him to protect her?" Wufei's face held anger, and only anger.

"I didn't have a choice, Wufei," she knew exactly what he was talking about. "Trowa and Quatre are both out on IMs, Duo's local but tied up, and Heero was the only one that managed to finish up in time to take over your shift."

"I could've done it. I would've stayed longer with her until someone else was available; you know her situation, Po." Sally took on any even more stern face when he addressed her so impersonally.

"That's not how it works, Wufei. Besides, you..." She took a breath, speaking when her voice sounded once again calm. "You have been reassigned, Wufei."

"Reassigned?" This was what he had wanted, was it not? Relena had helped him, and it was good that he was leaving now; he would no longer be babysitting. "Where to...?"

Did he want to know?

Wufei sat in his car thinking about the conversation that Sally and he just had.

_Sally looked at him, sitting on the other side of her desk. "Wufei, I know about what happened." Wufei gave her a look. "I know that you were the one who took Relena. Survialence video barely caught you two walking shortly after she was reported missing. Now, I don't know what happened that day -- and I don't know what's going on between you two -- but it can cause some very serious concequences if you are found to have had personal relations with a client. Noin has requested that for the time being you are to be transferred to international affairs."_

_Wufei could only scoff. What were they thinking. He couldn't be overseas when Relena was with Heero; she needed him now more than ever._

_Didn't she? Oh, what was he thinking?! Relena had to handle this on her own. It wasn't his business, and from this angle, Sally was protecting his job._

_"It really is a delicate matter. Noin and I just need you out of the way for a while, which will give us time to get rid of the footage." Wufei's head shot up. "Yes, Wufei, Noin and I would rather destroy evidence than have you get fired. You are valuable, and if Zechs or Une gets word that you were with Relena while she was missing and didn't report it, they would have no choice but to take action and this will boil over for the press." All Wufei could do was sit there and look at the top of Sally's desk. He couldn't even look her in the eye -- it was true. He had jeopardized his career for what? A woman. Something that he had never even thought would be possible._

_'You wouldn't recognize yourself a few years ago,' Wufei thought grimly. 'If you knew back during the war that you would have to leave the country for a while because you put a woman's -- no -- you put your desires for a woman over your job, the old Wufei would have blown a gasket at such an accusation.' What was happening to him?_

_"Alright," he looked at her finally. "I'll take it. Where do I go now?"_

Where_ was_ he supposed to go now? Yes, he was to go north to Hokkaido and find the senior in charge there for port information and overseas affairs, but figuratively where was he supposed to go? He was torn between his love for Relena and the only job that he had ever known. 'I can't do this,' his words struck something in his chest. 'I love Relena, but I can't just give up everything that I have known for years over something that I have only had for a few months. I don't want to leave her alone, but I know in my heart that this Heero thing is something that she has to finalize on her own. And her feelings for me as well... I don't know how _for sure_ she feels, but maybe last night will have her thinking. I'd rather be gone for a while if she needs this time to re-evaluate.'

He could only put the car in drive and go pack his things for the journey ahead.

"You escaped," he said to her. "You left, and didn't tell us where you were going. You didn't take anyone with you. You could've gotten killed. You put yourself in danger and threw this entire base into an uproar." Heero stared at her with his blue eyes hard and his voice monotone.

It was just like she had imagined. Except here she was, sitting in one of the fine lounges at Headquarters looking at Heero who actually _was _here, berating her for her chilish actions.

"Now, I want you to tell me: where have you been, and who have you been with?"

Could she tell him? Could she say, 'Oh, I left you and ran into some random man, who turned out to be Wufei, who I headed home with and proceeded to sleep with him in the same bed. Oh, and I molested him as well before he left the room.' Yeah, she could say that if she didn't care about Wufei. But she did value his life and his trust, which was exactly the reason why she wasn't talking.

"I went out. End of story. I wanted to get away, Heero."

"Away from what?" he asked.

"Away from you." All he could do was look at her strangely. She, at first, didn't recognize the look on his face. But slowly she registered the look as a mix of confusion, anger, and... betrayal? Maybe he was hurt by it, but she vowed not to fall back into his arms, and sympathy for him was a one way ticket back to that life. "Yes, Heero, I'm sorry, but you treat me like a job at first. Then suddenly you 'love' me for a while, and then you don't know, or care, what love is. And that seemed reason enough for you to up and leave me and not return for months! How do you think that made _me _feel?"

He didn't seem to care; either that, or didn't want to respond. "Well, it made me feel like crap. It made me feel used. And then you're back, which was fine. But now that you're guarding me all the time, I can't handle the looks you throw my way. It confuses me. Do you really love me, or are you just going to leave me again if I _do _fall for you? Think about that Heero." Her eyes were tearing up, and in that respect, she walked to the door, opened it, and looked at him expectingly.

He stood up and walked out the door although she knew he was just going to be standing right outside it. He didn't trust her anymore, she knew that, and the only reason he left the room was because specific rooms at Headquarters were only accesible by one door: this was one of those rooms.

Wufei scribbled something like a letter on paper and put it into an envelope. He pushed it into his jacket pocket, and walked out the doors heading to Headquarters once again. As the elevator doors opened, he walked solemnly to Sally's office.

"Here are your plane ticket and the statements you'll need," she pushed the documents across the desk towards his seat. "There will be a car waiting for you at the airport when you land. From then on you will no longer be under our command until you return."

"And when will that be?" The silence of the room overwelmed him.

After about a minute of no answer, he looked at her, "Just give this to Relena, okay? It's important. She needs to understand a few things that I won't be around to tell her. Please, Sally, if it's the last thing you do, make sure she -and only she -- gets this." She smiled.

"I will, Wufei, I promise." The sealed envelope slid into her hand as he turned his back and walked out the door. The elevator down the hall dinged, as if waiting for him. He entered, and just as fast as he had come into Relena Peacecraft's life...

He left it.

Tsuyoku: ugh. Well, that was interesting. And quite a lot of things happened. I wanted, for a while, to make this chapter into two chapters... but this seemed like a good way to end one _big_ one. So please, review. You know they always help get the next chapter up faster.

Tyk.


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